What are NASA's predictions on sunspots in the next 1-4 years?

There is no doubt the media will seize on warnings from scientists and add their own interpretations in this instance Nasa is telling us to prepare for 'a once in a generation storm'...which could result with complete shutdown of electronic items navigation devices and major satellites are just some of the consequences of the sun reaching its maximum power in only a few years time and combined with lightening storms in the Earths atmosphere... other possible consequences are the world emergency services systems... hospital equipment and of course would leave us without our computers... sat navs and ipods...most likely... say senior scientists.. it will last hours and maybe days but this in a world reliant on high tech systems is likely to have a drastic impact...although only short term...the Sun like all middle-age stars has it's rhythms..similar 'highs' have affected Earth in the past but have caused fewer problems because there was much less reliance on electronic devices...The Sun has a sunspot cycle of around 22 years when it is it's most active and electromagnetic interference can be caused at maximum particularly if there are solar flares which emit ultraviolet radiation x rays and other slower particles... we should take the information seriously but not be panicked...que sera sera...good question !

1. NASA is not in the business of making scientific predictions, they are in the business of launching rockets.

2. The Sun normally follows an 11-year activity cycle. It has been in a prolonged minimum for at least a year, so _any_ astronomer would predict that it's very likely to show more sunspots in the near future than currently (which is mostly zero, though a new sunspot group appeared today).

The Sun is apparently in a deep or prolonged minimum right now... Activity will start to pick up during the reversal sometime in the later half of 2011...some predictions that a return to maximum will be much stronger than usual...the Suns magnetic poles will remain as they are now with the north magnetic pole pointing through the Suns southern hemisphere until the year 2012... when they will reverse again...this transition as we know is at it's maximum every sunspot cycle like clockwork... scientists predict this will be May 2013.

NASA doesn't predict sunspots. But the Space Weather Prediction Center, part of the NOAA does. Take a look here for the answer on your question: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SolarCycle/

The prediction is for a lower maximum than the previous cycle.

Believe it or not, sunspots actually have patterns. Every 11 years, sunspot activity changes, but as the star grows older, so will the abundance of sunspots.

Nasa does not predict sunspots

Nasa builds space ships

Astronomers study the sun

I really get a kick out of some answers and wonder if we could outfit those who believe this with t-shirts so we know who they are: "the Sun does effect climate, but it is not the dominant driver of climate that denialists claim" Tank you, I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

The prediction is for lower activity than during the last maximum in 2001: http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/images/ssn_predi...

The predicted changes have not happened - the model is in serious trouble, could be a significant Solar low starting. No bets from any serious astronomers.

The sun will get acne