sunspots
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The number of sunspots goes through a maximum and minimum about every eleven years. During periods of maximum sunspots, the elementary particles associated with the spots cause disturbances in the atmosphere of the Earth and interfere with radio and television communication.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During the peak of the current cycle, which Nasa confirmed occurred in October 2024, a higher number of sunspots led to more frequent eruptions of solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025
This means there are lots of sunspots on the surface which are like volcanoes and occasionally erupt.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2025
Right now, the sun is approaching peak levels of activity, and it’ll likely be the mid-2030s before we get another burst of solar flares, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections to rival what’s happening at present.
From Slate • Oct. 16, 2024
In particular, the team found patterns that match the locations and timescales of sunspots that have been have observed by astronomers since Galileo in 1612.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2024
Once again, in the Dialogue, Galileo raised the debate about sunspots, and once again he could not resist a few digs at Scheiner, which infuriated the old Jesuit and his colleagues.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
