Feature Astronomy

Quiet maximum

The current solar cycle is a snoozer, but that’s not a bad thing

SERENE STATE  An image taken in September by the STEREO spacecraft shows the sun in a state of relative serenity compared with past solar maxima.

StereO/NASA

By Alexandra Witze

- More than 2 years ago

Matt Penn is grateful for whatever the sun will give him. These days, that isn’t much. Penn’s job, as a solar astronomer, is to track the waxing and waning of sunspots on the solar surface.