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Space Weather and Solar Flares

What Are Solar Cycles, and How Do They Affect Weather?

What are solar cycles and sunspots—and what causes them? Here at The Old Farmer’s Almanac, we...
Welcome Spring Equinox

First Day of Spring 2021: The Spring Equinox

In 2021, the spring equinox occurs on Saturday, March 20. This event marks the astronomical first...
Summer Solstice Grain

Summer Solstice 2020: The First Day of Summer

In 2021, the June solstice occurs on Sunday, June 20, marking the start of summer in the Northern...
Space Weather and Solar Flares

Solar Cycle 25 Has Begun!

Solar Cycle 25 is official under way as of September, 2020. Following a weak Solar Cycle 24, what...
Groundhog Emerging

Groundhog Day and Shadow Fun

Groundhog Day. Just a bizarre tradition involving rodents? Or, rather, marmots? Actually, Groundhog...
Earth Near Sun

What Are Perihelion and Aphelion?

Earth reaches at its closest approach to the Sun near midnight on January 4–5, 2020. We call this...
Aurora Borealis people

What Are the Northern Lights?

Along with the colorful leaves that fall ushers in, the night sky has its own colorful display near...
Our Sun in the Milky Way Galaxy

How Fast Does the Sun Move?

Does the Sun spin? Yes, very slowly! Does the Sun orbit anything? Yes, it does! Find out facts...
Total Solar Eclipse

How to Safely Watch a Total Solar Eclipse

You can seriously damage your eyes by watching a solar eclipse without proper protection (NOT...
Eclipse Through Glasses

Solar Eclipse Safety: How to Protect Your Eyes

Both total solar eclipses AND partial solar eclipses require specialized eye protection. I’ve...
Our Sun

The Influence of Solar Activity on Weather

What is the influence of solar activity on the weather? Dr. Richard Head, a former weather...
Total Eclipses of Sun

Next Total Solar Eclipse

When is the next total solar eclipse? See our dates when the total eclipse of the Sun is visible...
Sunspots

What Are Sunspots?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac uses sunspot activity to help in making its weather predictions. What are...
Aurora

The Sun is Flipping Out!

Look up! You can see the biggest somersault in the solar system. The sun is in the middle of a...
"Sun"sational Evening on Lake Ontario

The Sun Always Shines at Noon

Have you ever noticed that on an overcast day the sun will often break through the clouds close to ...
Solar Image

The Eight Layers of the Sun

The Sun is Hotter Than Hot! The Sun's temperature varies over time and throughout these seven...
Sun Wolf

The Gravitational Pull of the Sun

The Sun Has a Lot of Pull! The Sun makes up more than 99 percent of the total mass of the solar...
Sun's Energy

How Much Energy Does the Sun Produce?

The Sun Is a Huge Ball of Energy The Sun is about 865,000 miles in diameter. That's as wide as...
Sunset

What is the Sun Made of?

What's the Sun made of? It's not solid. The Sun is composed of plasma, a material made from...
Horizon Sunset

How Old is the Sun?

The Sun is one of 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy. Scientists estimate that the Sun is...