6 September

2000: On 6 September 2000, the ESA spacecraft, Ulysses, returned to the Sun's south pole for the second time in its mission. The spacecraft passed 70° south, shortly before the Sun's 11 year activity cycle peaked.

Conditions were very different from those Ulysses encountered during its first south polar pass in 1994 when solar activity, which is related to the magnetic behaviour of the Sun, was very low. Then, the solar wind at high latitudes was fast, but steady. The 2000 polar pass gave scientists the opportunity to learn just how different the polar regions of the Sun are at solar maximum compared with minimum.