if sunspots do go away, it wouldn't be the first time. in the 17th century, the sun plunged into a 70-year period of spotlessness known as the maunder minimum that still baffles scientists. the sunspot drought began in 1645 and lasted until 1715; during that time, some of the best astronomers in history (e.g., cassini) monitored the sun and failed to count more than a few dozen sunspots per year, compared to the usual thousands.