The start of a new solar cycle? As of Jan 4, 2008 YES!

(UPDATE)
SOLAR CYCLE 24 BEGINS: Solar physicists have been waiting for the appearance of a reversed-polarity sunspot to signal the start of the next solar cycle. The wait is over. Yesterday (Jan 4, 2008), a magnetically reversed sunspot emerged at solar latitude 30 N.

For reasons explained in a recent Science@NASA story, this marks the beginning of Solar Cycle 24 and the first step toward a new solar maximum. Intense solar activity won't begin right away. Solar cycles usually take a few years to build from solar minimum (where we are now) to Solar Max (expected in 2011 or 2012). It's a slow journey, but we're on our way!

 		Enthusiasts everywhere are watching this blob at high latitude on the sun to see if it becomes a sun spot. If it does, it means the start of a new, long awaited, solar cycle !

Details

(Story is now a bit dated but explains more about what we're hoping for now, reality!)