The elusive aurora borealis could put on its strongest performance this winter in over a decade, as solar activity reaches its peak. Last year, NASA confirmed that the sun was reaching its maximum phase in its 11-year solar cycle, which is expected to last until March 2026. “During solar maximum, the number of sunspots, and therefore, the amount of solar activity, increases,” explains Jamie Favors, director of the Space Weather Program at NASA Headquarters. “This increase in activity provides