A quiet sun won't save us from global warming - environment - 26 February 2010 - New Scientist

A quiet sun won't save us from global warming - environment - 26 February 2010 - New Scientist: "EVEN if the sun were to quieten down appreciably for the rest of this century, it would still be business as usual for global warming. The sun goes through an 11-year solar cycle during which its luminosity varies according to the number of sunspots appearing on its face. The normal cycle has a small effect on Earth's weather. But sometimes lulls in sunspot activity can last several decades, driving down the sun's luminosity to a 'grand minimum'. The Maunder minimum lasted from 1645 to 1715 and may have contributed to the little ice age."