The measurements of trace gases in the atmosphere made by the Halogen Occultation Experiment instrument on UARS have been used to investigate the solar cycle variation of nitric oxide. The data covers the period from near solar activity maximum in late 1991 to its near minimum in late 1996. Systematic errors in the NO measurements were corrected, and the results were correlated with the F10.7 index. Regression coefficients derived from this analysis are presented. It is found that nitric oxide in the equatorial thermosphere varies significantly with F10.7, but its variation in polar thermosphere is very small. ¿ 1999 American Geophysical Union