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 System SciStarter NASA Page SciStarter Eclipse Page NASA Heliophysics Big Year Citizen CATE   Eclipse Soundscapes Data Collector Eclipse Soundscapes Observer NASA Heliophysics Big Year Zines NASA Eclipse Map Media Credits: All video simulations Credit: NASA Orrery with wood base, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit Karen_O’D Brass Orrery, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit: Raneko Solar System graphic (planets at an angle), via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) Image Credit: NASA Eclipse and Mountains, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) Credit: NASA/ Bill Ingalls Apollo 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 rawpixel Photo of Apollo golden relief via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0); Photo Credit: Chris Waits Solar System, side view, via Flickr Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0; Image Credit: This is Yu Music Credit: Podcast Theme, by Keith Hartnell