Shortly before the vernal equinox and shortly after the autumnal equinox, earth stations that receive satellite signals in the Northern Hemisphere experience sun outages for 5-15 minutes over the course of 3-7 days when the signal from geosynchronous orbiting satellites is obliterated (washed out) by solar radiation when the path of the satellites pass directly in front of the sun. After the 5-15 minute outage, the sun is no longer interfering with the signal from the satellite, and reception is restored.
Super condensed version
The sun prevents satellite dishes on the ground from receiving cable channel signals from the satellite when the satellite moves directly in front of the sun and in the line of sight of the receiving satellite dish.