The maximum smoothed sunspot number observed during the solar cycle was 180.3 (November 2001), and the starting minimum was 11.2.

Large solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) occurred on 7 September 2005 (X17), 15 April 2001 (X14.4) and 29 October 2003 (X10), with auroras visible in mid-latitudes.

[8] On 14 July 2000, the CME hurled by a X5.7 solar flare provoked an extreme (G5 level) geomagnetic storm the next day.

[10] Another major aurora display was observed on 1 April 2001, due to a coronal mass ejection hitting the Earth's magnetosphere.

A large solar flare (the second-most powerful ever recorded) occurred on 2 April 2001, an X20-class, but the blast was directed away from Earth.