Solar Minimum May Cause Freezing Temperature, Earthquakes and Drought; Know More About 'Sun Lockdown' That Can Make 2020 Unforgettable (Watch Video)

Coronavirus, Australian bushfire, Death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, Locusts, and as if the perils of 2020 weren't enough, we now have the solar minimum. Also known as the period of "Sun Lockdown," experts believe that, there will be a major dearth in the sunshine because sunspots have virtually disappeared. Sun is being said to go on a lockdown period and there are chances that it could lead to severe cold, drought, earthquakes and other natural calamities on earth. Reports from NASA in  2017 had pointed that low point in sunspots activity will be noted in 2019-2020 and it is said to happening currently, yes, while we are in a lockdown too due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, this not something new, sunspots activity is said to fade away to bring about a relative calm every 11 years. Scientists believe that the magnetic field around the may have been weakened which could lead to freezing temperature, earthquakes and famine.

What is a Sun Lockdown or a Solar Minimum?

The sun is currently at a point of "solar minimum" which means the activity on its surface been lowered. Dean Pesnell of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD says on NASA Science website, "Every 11 years or so, sunspots fade away, bringing a period of relative calm. This is called solar minimum And it’s a regular part of the sunspot cycle. The sun is heading toward solar minimum now."

Sunspot counts were quite high in 2014 and are experiencing its low point 2019-2020. "While intense activity such as sunspots and solar flares subside during solar minimum, that doesn’t mean the sun becomes dull. Solar activity simply changes form," Dean further said.

Watch 2017 Video By NASA That Predicted 'Sun Lockdown':

This reminds NASA scientists of the Dalton Minimum, that took place between 1790 and 1830. It caused severe cold weather, famine and volcanic eruptions. The climate experienced was as low as 2 degrees Celsius and also caused a "Year Without a Summer" in 1816, also known as "eighteen hundred and froze to death". However, a current NASA post in 2020 revealed that "There Is No Impending 'Mini Ice Age'".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 18, 2020 06:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).