Scientists finally confirm that solar maximum is well underway — and the worst could still be to come

An image of the sun split in half. The left side shows the sun during solar maximum, where its is more fiery and chaotic, and the right side shows the star during solar minimum, when it is more calm and smooth.

The explosive peak in the sun's roughly 11-year cycle of activity — known as the solar maximum — is already well underway, scientists have announced. While many experts suspected that this was the case, the official confirmation comes as a big surprise given that researchers normally hold off on making such announcements until after this active phase starts winding down.

Representatives from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the international Solar Cycle Prediction Panel (SCPP) made the announcement on Tuesday (Oct. 15). The groups confirmed that the solar maximum has already begun and suggested that it may have started as early as two years ago, long before initial solar cycle forecasts had predicted. The scientists also noted that solar activity will likely remain high for around another year.