The Sun is “hot” Solar Eclipse Workshop May 20, 2017 http://rpsec.usca.edu/eclipse/ Gary J. Senn, PhD - SennG@usca.edu Darlene Smalley – DarleneS@usca.edu

Structure of our Sun 1. Core: 15 M°C Source of energy 2. Radiation zone: 5 M°C Transfer of core energy through radiation 3. Convection zone: 2 M°C Hot gases rise, cool gases fall 4. Photosphere ± 6,000 °C Surface 5. Chromosphere: outer surface 6. Corona: outer layer 2 M °C 8. Granulation: caused by convection currents of plasma 9. Prominence:

Solar Flare April 16, 2012. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

Solar Flare size - Earth

Sunspots

Size Comparison

Sunspot - Earth

Solar Cycle

The Solar Cycle Number of Sunspots Time ~11 Years This graph charts the number of sunspots seen each month At the solar minimum we see very few sunspots. But at Solar Maximum you can often see many sunspots at once. The number of sunspots increase and decrease on an approximately 11-year cycle. Here we see the increasing and decreasing magnetic activity over a solar cycle. More sunspots and solar storms occur during the solar maximum, at the top of the graph. The white areas are indicators of strong magnetic intensity. (May want to mention where we are in the solar cycle now- we are near a maximum when this was released, in 2012) So as we approach the next solar maximum, is there no way to avoid catastrophe?   Presenter’s Notes: The polarity of the Sun’s magnetic field flips about every 11 years, and so the complete solar cycle is actually around 22 years for the Sun to return to its original state. Monthly numbers from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center from 1984-2007 The red images are captured using He II 304 emissions showing the solar corona at a temperature of about 60,000 degrees K. Many more sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections occur during the solar maximum. The increase in activity can be seen in the number of white areas in the images, i.e., indicators of strong magnetic intensity. Time ~11 Years

SOlar & Heliospheric Observatory European Space Agency NASA

SOHO – May 19, 2017 Visit https://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/

Solar Observing Be safe! If anyone asks you to look at the Sun, ask that person to look first.

Solar Observing Safety First! Solar retinopathy Full Sun Partial eclipse Total eclipse

Safe Viewing Options Eclipse Glasses

Safe Tools for Group Viewing Sunspotter An Inexpensive Device Useful Any Day

Telescope Options Telescope with filter Solar Telescope

Pinhole Camera/Projector Inexpensive BUT Not the Way to Watch!

Project an Image with a Telescope or Binoculars

Source: Eclipse Hawaii – by Ken Miller, Bishop Museum Press

Project an Image With a Small Mirror

Never Use These To View A Solar Eclipse Don't use any kind of sunglasses Don't use color film Don't use medical X-ray film Don't use smoked glass (some welder’s glass is ok) Don't use CDs or computer floppy disks

ECLIPSE HYSTERIA! The sky is falling…. on YOU!!!

"Watching a total solar eclipse on TV is sort of like reading about sex. It's not quite the same as being there."

Reality… In the months following the eclipse, two cases of eye damage were reported in the state of Hawaii. One case was a person who was with a group using Sun Peeps, who even had a Sun Peep in his pocket, but decided not to use it since it was partially cloudy. He suffered only temporary damage. The other case was a woman who knew it was dangerous, but decided to look through binoculars anyway, "but only for a few minutes." She suffered a small permanent burn in one eye. While these cases are, of course regrettable, they were the only ones reported by the hundreds of thousands of Hawaii observers.

What will we see Sunspots Prominence https://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime-images.html