Study of sunspots and sunspot cycles 1-24

Sunspots are the most obvious feature on the disturbed surface of the photosphere above the solar atmosphere and appear to play a key role in major solar and terrestrial disturbances. The solar source activity varies with a 11-year sunspot cycle. During solar activity maximum years, maximum transient solar activity (i.e. solar flares, solar proton events and coronal mass ejections) is released from the Sun and enters the earth's magnetosphere which is found to be responsible for producing large geomagnetic storms. In solar activity minimum years, a few geomagnetic storms are observed due to the presence of coronal interaction regions. We have studied the general characteristics of past solar cycles 1-23 and predicted about the present sunspot cycle 24. We conclude that sunspot cycle 24 is similar to sunspot cycle 22, peaking between September 2012 and February 2013. Solar maximum of sunspot cycle 24 may pose a great risk to satellite communication, space weather and result in geomagnetic hazards.