Questions:
1. A powerful solar storm on the Sun a week ago produced beautiful aurorae over many parts of the earth on May 10. Such solar storms are more frequent when the Sun nears the peak of its solar cycle — an 11-year period in which the Sun’s magnetic field flips direction. After two solar cycles, the Sun completes one ____ cycle and the field returns to its ‘original’ orientation. Fill in the blank.
2. As the Sun approaches the peak of a solar cycle, its surface develops more and more X. From the earth, Xs look like small patches darker than their surroundings, which is the case because these patches have more intense magnetic fields, which makes them cooler than other areas. What is X?
