After one of the longest sunspot droughts in modern times, solar activity picked up quickly over the weekend. A new group of sunspots developed, and while not dramatic by historic standards, the spots were the most significant in many months.

"This is the best sunspot I've seen in two years," observer Michael Buxton of Ocean Beach, Calif., said on Spaceweather.com.

... Sunspots are the visible signs of that activity, and they are the sites from which massive solar storms lift off.

The past two years have marked the lowest low in the cycle since 1913, and for a while scientists were wondering if activity would ever pick back up.

IT is 100 times the size of Earth.

For the first time in two years the surface of the sun has become active, culminating in a mass of huge solar flares on Sunday.

Watching all the while was Owen Bennedict, the owner of Wappa Falls Observatory near Yandina.

Owen, who has had his eyes on the sky for 50 years, said these solar explosions were some of the largest he had ever seen.

“Two years ago there was a single massive explosion, but since then there has not been much activity on the sun,” he said.

“I was surprised by the explosions. It's a major event in the world of astronomy. The largest visible sun spot is five times the size of Earth and the whole area is about 100 times as big.”

Owen said the effects of the explosions would be felt on Earth, causing not only higher than average temperatures but also electrical and radio interference.

He said sun gazing was not for amateurs and warned budding astronomers not to look at the sun through small telescopes and binoculars.

“These flares are so bright they could cause serious damage if viewed through the wrong equipment,” he said.

“They should last for about a month and there will be major effects on Earth. Two years ago, after the last major explosion, electrical and radio equipment was playing up all over the world.”

The solar explosions can be seen online at www.spaceweather.com.