The Sun's Impact on Earth's Climate: Explained
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Space.com
The relationship between the sun and Earth plays a major role in our planet's climate. The Maunder minimum, a period of low sunspot activity, coincided with the Little Ice Age, suggesting a connection. Earth's position relative to the sun, influenced by cycles known as the Milankovitch cycles, affects the length and magnitude of seasons. Ice core samples reveal a tight connection between glaciation periods and reduced sunlight in the northern latitudes. However, human carbon emissions have overridden the natural cooling period predicted by the Milankovitch cycles.