The sun is now entering the “solar maximum,” the time during its 11-year solar cycle when it’s most active, producing sunspots and solar flares. There are also two solar eclipses coming up over a six-month period. Not coincidentally, we’re also now beginning the Heliophysics Big Year, when solar science researchers are most active, and there are a variety of citizen science opportunities to bring the public along for the ride.Links mentioned in this podcast include:Short Film To Scale: The Solar SystemSciStarter NASA PageSciStarter Eclipse PageNASA Heliophysics Big YearCitizen CATE Eclipse Soundscapes Data CollectorEclipse Soundscapes ObserverNASA Heliophysics Big Year ZinesNASA Eclipse MapMedia Credits:All video simulations Credit: NASAOrrery with wood base, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit Karen_O’DBrass Orrery, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit: RanekoSolar System graphic (planets at an angle), via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit: NASAEclipse and Mountains, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) Credit: NASA/ Bill IngallsApollo on the Clouds Artwork (1688-1698), via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) Artist: Johan Teyler (original from The Rijksmuseum); Digitally enhanced by rawpixelPhoto of Apollo golden relief via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0); Photo Credit: Chris WaitsSolar System, side view, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0; Image Credit: This is YuMusic Credit:Podcast Theme, by Keith Hartnell