During an 11-year solar cycle, when can the next maximum of sunspots be expected following the minimum observed in 2004?

The solar cycle, which lasts about 11 years, involves fluctuations in the number of sunspots observed on the Sun's surface. These sunspots are indicators of solar activity, typically increasing from a minimum to a maximum and then decreasing again. After a minimum in 2004, the next maximum would typically occur around the midpoint of the cycle.

In this case, starting from the solar minimum in 2004, one would expect the maximum sunspot activity to occur about 5 to 6 years later. This places the predicted maximum around 2009 or slightly beyond, which corresponds well with the choice indicating the years 2007 to 2011.

This option captures the expected peak activity in the solar cycle, aligning with historical data and trends observed in previous solar cycles. Thus, the years indicated in this choice accurately reflect the timing of the next sunspot maximum following the 2004 minimum.