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Solar Cycle 25 peaked in October 2024 with sunspot numbers far exceeding forecasts, but activity is now measurably declining — with February 2026 recording the lowest monthly sunspot count (78.2) since 2022. While the window for spectacular mid-latitude aurora displays is narrowing, scientists say the Sun's turbulent decline phase could still produce powerful individual storms through 2027, making the next 12 months a critical "last call" for aurora chasers before the next solar minimum pushes the northern lights back toward the poles until the mid-2030s.