Solar cycle 25 is the current solar cycle, the 25th since 1755, when extensive recording of solar sunspot activity began. It began in December 2019 with a minimum smoothed sunspot number of 1.8. It is expected to continue until about 2030. While it was initially predicted by most scientists that cycle 25 would be relatively weak, solar activity has been much stronger than the predictions.

Predictions Widely varying predictions regarding the strength of cycle 25 ranged from very weak with suggestions of slow slide in to a Maunder minimum like state to a weak cycle similar to previous cycle 24 and even a strong cycle. Upton and Hathaway predicted that the weakness of cycle 25 would make it part of the Modern Gleissberg Minimum.

The Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel predicted in December 2019 that solar cycle 25 will be similar to , with the preceding solar cycle minimum in April 2020 (± 6 months), and the number of sunspots reaching a (smoothed) maximum of 115 in July 2025 (± 8 months). This prediction is in line with the current general agreement in the scientific literature, which holds that solar cycle 25 will be weaker than average (i.e. weaker than during the exceptionally strong Modern Maximum). However, observations from 2020 to 2022, the first three years of the cycle, significantly exceeded predicted values.

The prediction of the smoothed cycle maximum is within the error bar in 3 cases: De Jager, C. et al. used an improved method of Schove based on wavelets (it gives almost the exact value), Xu, J.C. et al. a modified bimodal distribution method (it gives the exact month of the maximum) and Ozguc, et al. the empirical dynamical modelling method.

+ Cycle 25 predictions Source Date Cycle max Cycle start Cycle end Thompson, M.J. et al. August 2014 Q4 2019 Zharkova, V. et al 2014, 2015. (Northumbria U.) October 2014 65 (80% of cycle 24) Upton, L.A. and Hathaway, D.H. (Solar Observatories Group, Stanford University) December 2018 78 (95% of cycle 24) Late 2020 – Early 2021 Xu, J.C. et al. (Chinese Academy of Sciences) August 2018 168.5 ± 16.3 (2024) October 2020 Bhowmik, P. and Nandy, D. (IISER Kolkata) December 2018 124 ± 15 (2023–2025) 2020 after 2031 Ozguc, A. et al. (Harvard U-ty) December 2018 154 ± 12 (2023.2±1.1) NOAA / SSRC April 2019 117 ± 23 (2023–2026) mid-2019 – late 2020 NASA June 2019 70 ± 29 (30–50% lower than Cycle 24 (2025)) 2020 NOAA / SSRC (update) December 2019 115 ± 10 (July 2025) April 2020 (± 6 months) Mcintosh et al. June 2020 229 ± 25 Mcintosh et al. December 2020 190 ± 20 National Center for Atmospheric Research December 2020 233 de Jager, C. and Duhau, S. December 2020 160 ± 8 (2025 ± 1) Actual, for comparisonPresent>160.8December 2019 –

Progress

As of April 2018, the Sun showed signs of a reverse magnetic polarity sunspot appearing and beginning this solar cycle. It is typical during the transition from one cycle to the next to experience a period where sunspots of both polarities exist (during the solar minimum). The polarward reversed polarity sunspots suggested that a transition to cycle 25 was in process. The first cycle 25 sunspot may have appeared in early April 2018 or even December 2016.

In November 2019, two reversed polarity sunspots appeared, possibly signaling the onset of cycle 25.

Nandy et al., analyzed the polarity orientation of bipolar magnetic regions observed in December 2019 and concluded that magnetic regions with the underlying orientation of solar cycle 25 toroidal field component were brewing in the solar convection zone, representing early signs of the new cycle.

Supersynoptic (time vs. solar latitude) map of the radial component of the solar magnetic field for cycles 24–25 based on observations from the Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) shows magnetic activity of cycle 25 beginning November 2019 at about 30 degree latitudes in both solar hemispheres. A more recent supersynoptic map is available.

Solar Cycle 25 peaked in October 2024, with a Smoothed Sunspot Number of 161. SILSO stated: "For the coming years, another maximum remains a possibility, but it is unlikely it will be higher than the one in October last year because the Sun has completed its polar field reversal in 2023, and because the ongoing solar cycle is already 5.5 years in progress."

The following table gives the number of days so far in cycle 25 against the number up to the same point in cycle 24, which have passed various thresholds for the numbers of sunspots. Counts ≥100≥125≥150≥175≥200≥225≥250≥275

As at Dec 1, 2025, solar cycle 25 is averaging 31% more spots per day than solar cycle 24 at the same point in the cycle (Dec 1, 2014).

Year 1 of SC25 (Dec 2019 to Nov 2020) averaged 101% more spots per day than year 1 of SC24. Year 2 of SC25 (Dec 2020 to Nov 2021) averaged 7% more spots per day than year 2 of SC24. Year 3 of SC25 (Dec 2021 to Nov 2022) averaged 8% more spots per day than year 3 of SC24. Year 4 of SC25 (Dec 2022 to Nov 2023) averaged 41% more spots per day than year 4 of SC24. Year 5 of SC25 (Dec 2023 to Nov 2024) averaged 71% more spots per day than year 5 of SC24. Year 6 of SC25 (Dec 2024 to Nov 2025) averaged 10% more spots per day than year 6 of SC24.

Events The strongest flares of Solar Cycle 25 (above M5.0 class) and related events