Early Signs of Next Solar Cycle Detected by Scientists

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This image was captured with an H-Alpha solar telescope and is the result of stacking the best 20% of frames. The final stacked image has been adjusted to reflect the characteristic red hue observed in H-alpha solar imaging.) A view of the Sun through a solar telescope, showing sunspots and solar prominences, on July 26, 2024. Researchers from the University of Birmingham have observed early indications that the next solar cycle, Cycle 26, may be beginning sooner than expected, even though the current Cycle 25 has yet to reach its peak and is not due to end for another six years. (Photo by Manuel Romano/NurPhoto via Getty Images)