Start date April 1954 Duration (years) 10.5 Max count month March 1958 | End date October 1964 Max count 201.3 Min count 9.6 | |
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Solar cycle 19 was the nineteenth solar cycle since 1755, when extensive recording of solar sunspot activity began. The solar cycle lasted 10.5 years, beginning in April 1954 and ending in October 1964. The International Geophysical Year occurred at the peak of this solar cycle.
The maximum smoothed sunspot number (monthly number of sunspots averaged over a twelve-month period) observed during the solar cycle was 201.3, in March 1958 (the highest on record), and the minimum was 9.6.
There were a total of 227 days with no sunspots during this cycle.
Extreme events
A geomagnetic storm in February 1956 interfered with radio communications and prompted a search for the British submarine Acheron after it lost radio contact.
Intense red aurora displays frightened people in Europe on 11 February 1958 and were visible from many US cities as far south as the 40th parallel. This geomagnetic storm caused a radio blackout over North America.
Aurora displays were visible over New York, on 13 November 1960 and 1 October 1961.