1. The Sun

2. The Sun’s Atmosphere (Outermost region of Solar Gases)
3 Layers
Photosphere: inner layer, visible light, 6000ºC
Chromosphere: reddish, middle layer, 50,000ºC
Corona: outer crown, cloud of gas, magnetic field, 2,000,000ºC

3. The Sun’s Layers

4. Sunspots Cool dark areas of gas within the photosphere
Magnetic fields slow down convection and gases don’t get heated up in the core
Up to 100,000 km in diameter (bigger than Earth)
Moving Sunspots = Sun Rotates
Number of Sunspots = 11 year cycle

6. Solar Prominences Huge arches that reach above the sun’s surface
follow curved lines of magnetic force from one sunspot to another
last from weeks to years

8. Solar Flares Sudden eruption of electrically charged atomic particles
shoot up several kilometers
last for under an hour
occur near sunspots
some particles escape Solar Wind

10. Solar Eclipses

11. Auroras

12. Why do we have Auroras?
Solar Wind: charged particles from the sun are blowing towards us
The Magnetosphere: the magnetic field around Earth changes shape because of the solar wind

13. An Aurora is a lot like a Neon Sign
the electrons are pushed towards the magnetic poles
they react with
the gases in the
ionosphere and
then give off light

14. Auroras in the Northern Hemisphere
Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights
Mostly seen in Greenland, Alaska, Scandinavia, Russia, N.Canada

15. Auroras in the Southern Hemisphere
Aurora Australis or Southern Lights
Mostly seen in Antarctica, New Zealand, tips of South America and South Africa

16. Auroras Near Us On Nov. 4, 2001 there was a huge solar storm
On Nov. 5th and 6th auroras could be seen as far south as Florida, Texas, and S.California California
Lowell, MI

17. Lowell, Mi

18. Dalton, Georgia

19. Yukon, Canada

20. How often do we see auroras?
90°W Longitude Moderate Auroral Activity
0530 Universal Time (UT) or Greenwich Mean Time
Occasionally
Most auroras are seen near the polar regions