Darker, cooler areas on the Sun – known as sunspots – have been absent for almost two weeks, as of Feb. 1. A single, tiny one appeared on Jan. 31, but even that is hard to see in this rotating view from our Solar Dynamics Observatory. This spotless period is a prelude to the approaching period of solar minimum next year, when the Sun’s activity will be at the low end of its 11-year cycle. Details: http://go.nasa.gov/2BIwvxR[fb_vid id=”10156001397981772″]