Sunspot Counts Drop to 7-Year Low

Source - Space Weather News for March 19, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

SUNSPOT COUNTS HIT 7-YEAR LOW: The face of the sun has been blank (no sunspots) for 13 consecutive days. The last time this happened was in April of 2010, near the end of an historically deep Solar Minimum.  The current stretch of blank suns heralds a new Solar Minimum expected to arrive in 2019-2020.  What does this mean for space weather? Answers may be found on today's edition of Spaceweather.com

VENUS AT INFERIOR CONJUNCTION: This week, Venus will pass almost directly between Earth and the sun--an event astronomers call "inferior solar conjunction."  As it turns its night side to Earth, the planetary disk of Venus is transforming into an exquisitely slender crescent easily seen through small telescopes or binoculars.  Visit Spaceweather.com for photos and observing tips.