Hi!

There are total solar eclipses almost every year. What you may have heard, though, is that the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the continental United States will be in 2017. That's true. A great opportunity if you live near the path of totality, and if you don't, it's worth a trip!

Here is a list of solar eclipses between 2000 and 2020: http://mreclipse.com/Special/SEnext.html

Here is a map of where you will be able to see the total eclipse in 2017http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/whole-us.jpg

I am not sure what you heard about sunspots. There are sunspots on the Sun right now. The number goes up and down over time. We expect the number to go on increasing until around 2013 and then start to go down again. The number goes up and down about every 11 years.

Terry