Sun's Magnetic Field Expected to Flip Soon, Rare Solar Event That Occurs Every 11 Years [VIDEO]

.It is time for the once-in-11-year- solar event in which the Sun's magnetic polarity reverses itself. The event is closely monitored by physicists at the Stanford University.

The solar flip occurs once every 11 years and affects the entire solar system. In the past few months, Sun's activity increased as it produced mid-level and significant solar flares. One of the large flares classified as X1.0 flare peaked on Oct.27. Also, the solar activity was combined with the several coronal mass ejections (CMEs). This is a clear indication that the Sun is heading toward solar maximum condition.

Though the mechanism that causes a reversal in the Sun's polarity remains a mystery, the sun's magnetic field has been on a constant watch by researchers at Stanford's Wilcox Solar Observatory. They have been monitoring the Sun on a daily basis since 1975. Due to the large data, the researchers can predict the occurrence of a flip by noticing the changes occurring on the surface of the Sun. This latest shift will be the fourth such event observed by Stanford's observatory.

The new polarity builds-up throughout the cycle as sunspots get darker and near the equator of the Sun's surface. Over a month, these dark blotches split up and the magnetic field slowly drifts from the equator to one of the poles. The magnetic field at the poles weakens and goes to zero and then again rises with opposite polarity. As the event of reversal approaches, the two hemisphere of the Sun go out of sync.

Todd Hoeksema, a solar physicist at Stanford and director of the Wilcox Solar Observatory, compares this event to an ocean tide.

The Sun's North Pole has already changed its polarity from negative to positive and researchers are now focusing on the South Pole, which is expected to change its sign in the months to come. This flip in magnetic field would highlight the midpoint of the Solar Cycle 24.

Due to the effects of this event, the heliosphere spread beyond Pluto and also causes an increase in solar flares and CMEs.

"The sun's changing magnetic field and the bursts of charged particles can interact with Earth's own magnetic field, one manifestation of which is a noticeable uptick in the occurrence and range of auroras. Earth's magnetic field can also affect major electronic systems, such as power distribution grids and GPS satellites, so scientists are keen to monitor the heliosphere," Hoeksema said. "We also see the effects of this on other planets. Jupiter has storms, Saturn has auroras, and this is all driven by activity of the sun."

Hoeksema's team has also noticed that the force of the magnetic field at the poles calculated two or three years ago was just half of what it  generally is during the solar minimum. This is a sign that the solar cycle that is expected to take place in a month's time will be weak.