A review of the solar and the geophysical data for the last 6 decades indicates the existence of a three-solar-activity-cycle quasi-periodicity in them. It is also present in other data sets extending over several centuries. A new cycle may have started after 1996. If true, cycle 23 will be more modest (¿ la cycle 17) with an annual mean sunspot number count of 119.3¿30 at the maximum. This inference is in contrast to the predictions of some of the solar astronomers who are predicting a very active cycle 23 (¿ la cycle 19). ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union