From: henry@spsystems.net   
      
   In article ,   
   Brian Gaff  wrote:   
   >So, what is the current thinking on how the sun can suddenly become more   
   >active than in the so called 11 year max?  Is it just that nobody really   
   >knows what the 11 year cycle is about,  or is there more to it than that?   
      
   The cycle is not a smooth, predictable curve; there is a lot of randomness   
   (or what looks like randomness, anyway) superimposed on the cycle.  Some   
   of this may be easier to figure out after we've seen a few dozen cycles --   
   we have good data on only about four so far.   
      
   >is there any spacecraft able to see the far side to know if the CMEs are   
   >going on when the spots are out of sight?   
      
   Alas, we have no solar imaging from the far side.  There is some indirect   
   information available; in particular, one or two of SOHO's instruments can   
   see seismic effects from major events on the far side, when conditions are   
   right.   
   --   
   MOST launched 30 June; first light, 29 July; 5arcsec    | Henry Spencer   
   pointing, 10 Sept; first science, early Oct; all well.  | henry@spsystems.net   
      
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