The sun is heading toward solar minimum now. Sunspot counts were relatively high in 2014, and now they are sliding toward a low point expected in 2019-2020.
It isn’t an on and off but a continuum with maxima and minima. Also pay attention to what is being said about the Earth’s atmospheric response to solar activity. Remember it is the atmosphere that changes the sun’s appearance.
I am not sharing this article because it is the answer, but because it is interesting without being esoteric.