Sunspot Cycle 25 - best ever?

 Story from the Science Daily:

"Official" NASA prediction

According to a new article published in Solar Physics, a team of scientists led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is predicting that the Sunspot Cycle that started this fall could be one of the strongest since record-keeping began. This contradicts the "official" NASA prediction which forecasts a fairly weak cycle, much like Cycle 24.

The article points out the evolving science and new studies that look to better understand the sunspot cycle. "Scientists have struggled to predict both the length and the strength of sunspot cycles because we lack a fundamental understanding of the mechanism that drives the cycle," said NCAR Deputy Director Scott McIntosh, a solar physicist who led the study. "If our forecast proves correct, we will have evidence that our framework for understanding the Sun's internal magnetic machine is on the right path.

Things could be looking up for those of us who enjoy the fruits of a more active sunspot cycles for enhancing our amateur communications. Read more about these new predictions below.

Link to the Science Daily article: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201207142308.htm

NASA's Cycle 25 official prediction: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/what-will-solar-cycle-25-look-like-sun-prediction-model