Solar cycle 19

Solar activity from April 1954 to October 1964

Solar cycle 19
A solar prominence during solar cycle 19 (11 April 1959).
Sunspot data
Start date	April 1954
End date	October 1964
Duration (years)	10.5
Max count	285.0
Max count month	March 1958
Min count	5.1
Spotless days	227
Cycle chronology
Previous cycle	Solar cycle 18 (1944–1954)
Next cycle	Solar cycle 20 (1964–1976)

Solar cycle 19 was the nineteenth solar cycle since 1755, when extensive recording of solar sunspot activity began.^[1]^[2] The solar cycle lasted 10.5 years, beginning in April 1954 and ending in October 1964. The International Geophysical Year occurred at the peak of this solar cycle.

The maximum smoothed sunspot number observed during the solar cycle was 285.0, in March 1958 (the highest on record^[3]), and the starting minimum was 5.1.^[4]

During the minimum transit from solar cycle 19 to 20, there were a total of 227 days with no sunspots. This was the lowest number since 1850.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Extreme events

A geomagnetic storm in February 1956 interfered with radio communications and prompted a search for the British submarine Acheron after it lost radio contact.^[8]

Intense red aurora displays frightened people in Europe on 11 February 1958 and were visible from many US cities as far south as the 40th parallel. This geomagnetic storm caused a radio blackout over North America.

Aurora displays were visible over New York on 13 November 1960 and 1 October 1961.^[9]

References

^ Kane, R.P. (2002), "Some Implications Using the Group Sunspot Number Reconstruction", Solar Physics, 205 (2): 383–401, Bibcode:2002SoPh..205..383K, doi:10.1023/A:1014296529097
^ "The Sun: Did You Say the Sun Has Spots?". Space Today Online. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
^ Dodson, Helen W.; Hedeman, E. Ruth; Mohler, Orren C. (August 1974). "Comparison of activity in solar cycles 18, 19, and 20". Reviews of Geophysics. 12 (3): 329–341. Bibcode:1974RvGSP..12..329D. doi:10.1029/RG012i003p00329.
^ SIDC Monthly Smoothed Sunspot Number. "[1]"
^ Spotless Days. "[2]"
^ Dr. Tony Phillips (11 July 2008). "What's Wrong with the Sun? (Nothing)". NASA. Archived from the original on 14 July 2008.
^ Solaemon's Spotless Days Page. "[3]"
^ Amsterdam Evening Recorder, 24 February 1956
^ Storms, Solar (28 July 2017). "Space Weather Newspaper Archives". www.solarstorms.org.

Solar cycles

18th century

1740–1759	Solar cycle 1 (1755 Feb – 1766 Jun)
1760–1779	Solar cycle 2 (1766 Jun – 1775 Jun) Solar cycle 3 (1775 Jun – 1784 Sep)
1780–1799	Solar cycle 4 (1784 Sep – 1798 Apr) Solar cycle 5 (1798 Apr – 1810 Aug)

19th century

1800–1819	Solar cycle 6 (1810 Aug – 1823 May)
1820–1839	Solar cycle 7 (1823 May – 1833 Nov) Solar cycle 8 (1833 Nov – 1843 Jul)
1840–1859	Solar cycle 9 (1843 Jul – 1855 Dec) Solar cycle 10 (1855 Dec – 1867 Mar)
1860–1879	Solar cycle 11 (1867 Mar – 1878 Dec) Solar cycle 12 (1878 Dec – 1890 Mar)
1880–1899	Solar cycle 13 (1890 Mar – 1902 Jan)

20th century

1900–1919	Solar cycle 14 (1902 Jan – 1913 Jul) Solar cycle 15 (1913 Jul – 1923 Aug)
1920–1939	Solar cycle 16 (1923 Aug – 1933 Sep) Solar cycle 17 (1933 Sep – 1944 Feb)
1940–1959	Solar cycle 18 (1944 Feb – 1954 Apr) Solar cycle 19 (1954 Apr – 1964 Oct)
1960–1979	Solar cycle 20 (1964 Oct – 1976 Mar) Solar cycle 21 (1976 Mar – 1986 Sep)
1980–1999	Solar cycle 22 (1986 Sep – 1996 Aug) Solar cycle 23 (1996 Aug – 2008 Dec)