Labels:text | screenshot | orange OCR: SOLAR CYCLES AND SUNSPOTS Photosphere THE SUN'S ROTATION creates a magnetic field. The Sun's equatorial regions spin faster than its polar regions, which causes the magnetic field lines to become wound up inside the Sun. If they break through the surface, the lines cause solar activity such as sunspots, flares, and prominences. This activity, particularly the sunspots, follows an 11-year cycle. SUNSPOT Sunspot I CYCLE COOL SPOTS Sunspots are relatively cool regions on the Sun's surface, caused by magnetic fields that prevent hot material reaching the surface from the inside. A WORLD IN FACT TURMOIL FILE