ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

160-minute solar cycle

Okay kiddo, imagine you have a really big clock, like a giant circle up in the sky. But instead of telling you the time, this clock tells you when the sun's energy is really strong, and when it's not as strong.

This is called a solar cycle. It takes about 160 minutes for the clock to make a complete turn and go through one whole cycle. So it's kind of like the clock is taking a really long nap and wakes up every 160 minutes to start over again.

Scientists like to study the solar cycle because it helps them understand more about the sun and how it affects our Earth. And sometimes, when the sun's energy is really strong, it can even mess with things like our technology and communication systems. So by studying the solar cycle, scientists can try to predict when these things might happen and be better prepared for them.

So there you have it, kiddo. A solar cycle is like a big sky clock that tells us when the sun's energy is really strong, and it takes about 160 minutes for the clock to go through one whole cycle.