The sun is at its solar maximum — which means more auroras are likely in store

A flurry of solar storms suggests the sun is in a period of maximal activity, so more auroras could be in store. Next month, NASA will fly its Parker Solar Probe close to the sun.

The sun is awake.

In recent months, Earth’s star has ramped up activity, with giant flares erupting off the surface and belching streams of plasma and charged particles into space. Several of the solar storms have been aimed at our planet, and they triggered severe geomagnetic storms and supercharged dazzling displays of the northern lights.

The sun’s flurry of outbursts, coming after years of relative quiet and calm, is a sure sign that the star has entered a busy phase of its natural cycle, according to experts: solar maximum.

The active period is likely to continue over the next year, which means more solar storms and spectacular auroras could be in store.

“This is definitely the season for big solar storms,” said Kelly Korreck, a program scientist in the heliophysics division at NASA. “I expect we will see the skies lit up with auroras again.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/sun-solar-maximum-auroras-northern-lights-rcna177141

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