If you want to see just how dramatic the drop in sunspot activity has been

check out this graph:

Dr. Hathaway updates this once per month, usually. Notice we’re over halfway through Cycle 24, and we’re nowhere near the number of the least active month of cycle 22, in 1990.

Larger image:
http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/images/Cycle22Cycle23Cycle24big.gif

Thanks to Captain NerdWatch for this link