Washington - A new solar cycle is under way.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that the first sunspot of a new 11-year cycle has appeared in the sun's northern hemisphere.
The frequency of sunspots rises and falls during these cycles, and the start of a new cycle indicates they are likely to begin increasing.
The agency says that sunspots - areas of intense magnetic activity on the sun - can affect Earth by disrupting electrical grids, airline and military communications, GPS signals and even cell phones.
During periods of intense sunspot activity, known as solar storms, highly charged radiation from the sun may head toward Earth.
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