Since August 30th Sunspot AR1560 has more than quadrupled in size since August 30th. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of M-class solar fares during the next 48 hours as this sunspot is now facing earth. On August 31st it erupted with a C8 Class flare which is amazing to watch in the videos below. Fortunately this will only glace the Earth if it impacts us at all.
Amazing shot of the CME
Movie of the event.
The average length is only around 10.66 years. Cycles as short as 9 years and as long as 14 years have been observed, and in the double cycle of 1784-1799 one of the two component cycles had to be less than 8 years in length. Significant variations in amplitude also occur. Solar maximum and solar minimum refer respectively to epochs of maximum and minimum sunspot counts. Individual sunspot cycles are partitioned from one minimum to the next.