Sun phenomena

sunspots By tracking them, we realized the sun rotates Click here

Sunspot up close

What causes sunspots? The magnetic field gets twisted inside the sun Click here

Sunspots are ticking time bombs that lead to explosions on the sun’s surface Coronal loops / coronal arches Solar flares Solar prominences AKA Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

Coronal loops- gases held up in a magnetic loop—reach from sunspot to sunspot

Solar Flare- a magnetic storm that explodes huge amounts of particles and gases STRAIGHT OUT from the surface of the Sun.

Solar prominence—a MASSIVE arc of gas & particles that erupt from the surface of the Sun

Solar prominence – AKA coronal mass ejection (CME)

Coronal mass ejection CME balloon shaped plasma burst An ejection from August 2012: q6iWc&feature=player_embedded#! q6iWc&feature=player_embedded#

Prominence/CME--Look at the size of Earth!

Solar wind streaming electrically charged atomic particles that constantly escape from the Sun through coronal holes, which are weak spots in the Sun’s magnetic field. It is faster and much hotter than Earth’s wind. Solar wind is traveling at about 1 million miles an hour by the time it gets close to Earth. If it blew on the Earth’s surface, it would obliterate all life, but Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere protect the planet. Click here

NOTES Sun- average age and average temperature star that is a bit on the small side Cycle of solar activity- 11 year cycle of sunspots -Sunspot- cool, dark area on the sun [like a ticking time bomb that will explode some day] created by twisted magnetic fields -showed us the sun rotates

Where is sunspot maximum & minimum?

Solar flare- explodes from sunspot and goes into space (several per day to 1 per 2 weeks) – Messes up tv, radio, cell phones, aviation and space communications – Flares interact with earth’s ionosphere making auroras » Aurora borealis- northern lights » Aurora australis- southern lights [HOW? nutrinos from solar flares follow magnetic field then charged particles collide with particles in ionosphere creating light. Sound is claimed by some as well] click here and hereclick here here

Coronal loop- arching column of gas that follows magnetic lines (doesn’t leave Sun) Prominence/Coronal Mass Ejection – CME Massive explosion from the sun that ejects ten billion tons of mass (protons) and energy into space

Sun’s layers

Core- fusion occurs here Radiative zone- electromagnetic waves (energy) bounce around like a pinball, taking a million years to escape Convection zone- heat rises and cold sinks Photosphere- visible surface of the sun Chromosphere- the bottom of the sun’s atmosphere (see through) Corona (crown)- the top of the sun’s atmosphere (see through)

Great website Sci102/lectures/sun.htm