Solar maximum news, features and articles

By analyzing how birds migrated across the U.S. over a 23-year period, researchers have shown that solar weather events can seriously disrupt the navigation of the wandering avians.

High radiocarbon levels in the rings of subfossil tree stumps suggest that an incomprehensibly powerful solar storm, known as a "Miyake event," smashed into our planet more than 14 millennia ago.

Past research suggests that some whale species are more likely to get lost and accidentally beach themselves during periods of increased solar activity, such as the upcoming solar maximum.

The disappearance of the gas giant's clouds is tied to the sun's 11-year cycle.

Two coronal mass ejections have combined into an enormous cloud of magnetized plasma that is forecast to hit Earth on Tuesday and potentially trigger a weak geomagnetic storm.

Photographers hoping to capture stunning "night-shining" clouds have been left frustrated this year. The fast-approaching solar maximum may be to blame.

The number of sunspots in June was higher than any month during the current or previous solar cycles, suggesting the upcoming solar peak will be far more active than initially anticipated.

The enormous dark patch and its powerful eruption are both signs that the solar maximum is fast approaching — and could be more active than expected.

The ethereal aurora-like light show could become a more common sight over the next few years as the sun's activity continues to ramp up.

What did the sun look like before the devastating 1859 Carrington Event? Sketches from astronomer Richard Carrington hold the answer.