When this happens, there are effects on the magnetosphere, the protective shield around the Earth, and sometimes there are effects on the atmosphere which may result in effects to man and the satellites that we rely on for communications. There is also evidence that shows that the activity on the sun may affect the power systems on the Earth. We do not know all of the effects and that is one of the reasons that this area is being studied. Solar Activity and Effects on the Earth Sunspots are found in the photosphere of the sun. Sunspots data has been recorded as early as 28 BC by the ancient Chinese.
Sunspots appear as dark spots on the sun.
They tend to follow an eleven year cycle from solar minimum, a time of low sunspot numbers, to solar maximum, a time of high solar numbers. Sunspots are darker because they are cooler because the strong magnetic fields inhibit the transport of heat by the convective motion of the sun. Sunspots are usually located near the solar equator, but never below 5 or above 40 degrees north and south latitude. Sunspots themselves do not seem to have an effect on the Earth but they do seem to correlate with an increase in activity on the sun that does. Solar flares occur in the chromosphere and are associated with regions of sunspot activity.