Observed distributions of relative orientations of sigmoids (per PFI‐observed AR) with respect to the overlying coronal field at three phases of the solar cycle: Cycle 22 declining phase (left), comprising 42 sigmoids; Cycle 23 rising phase (center), comprising 43 sigmoids; Cycle 23 declining phase (right), comprising 22 sigmoids. Gray scale for relative orientation bins defined in § 3.2: black: parallel; dark gray: perpendicular; light gray: antiparallel.