The SunThe Sun

The SunThe Sun• Aton, Apollo, Helios, and Sol

• “life giving gods”

Fusion!Fusion!• Hydrogen into

helium

• Ball of gas

• Enormous mass

• 109 Earth’s lined up to span the Sun’s surface!

• *Med sized• Med- hot• Mid life

Sun’s LayersSun’s LayersCore- 7% of volume – 15 mill degrees!

• “Engine room” of the Sun

• *Photosphere- visible surface

• Hot, thin layer

• 250 miles thick

• Cooled to 11,000 degrees

Sun’s LayersSun’s Layers• Chromosphere- “color ball”

• Only visible during a solar eclipse

• *Corona- suns outer atmosphere

• Only visible during a solar eclipse• 2 mill degrees• X-rays • Jagged white halo

ChromosphereChromosphere

CoronaCorona

Features of the SunFeatures of the Sun

SunspotsSunspots• Dark spots on the sun; cool

blotches 3,600 degrees

• First recorded in 800 B.C. in China

• Size of the EARTH !

• Appear in groups of two or more

SunspotsSunspots • 11 year

cycle

• Rotate around the sun

Solar FlaresSolar Flares• Violent explosions of light, gases,

radiation and other materials

• Can release enough energy to sustain the world for 100,000 years!

• Short lived; come and go

ProminencesProminences• Fiery arches of ionized gases

• Last for weeks/months

• Supported/twisted by magnetic fields near sunspots

Effect on the EarthEffect on the Earth• Flare gamma rays, X rays, and

UV rays can reach the Earth in 8 min

• Particles take hours/days

• Our magnetic field and atmosphere protect us

AurorasAuroras• Often

occur 2 days after solar flare activity

• Solar flare activity can affect compasses

• Surges in phone lines and blackouts!

• In 1979 US Skylab was destroyed upon entry back into the atmosphere

Solar WindSolar Wind• Closely monitored

• Average wind speed of 1 mill miles per second!

• Stream of electrically charged particles continually flowing from the sun

• Faster, thinner, and hotter than any wind on Earth!

• Tend to occur during high solar flare and sunspot activity

• Originates from holes in the corona

Future of the SunFuture of the Sun•The sun is growing hotter and brighter as H is consumed

5 billion years from now5 billion years from now

• The Sun will turn into a Red giant

And then consume And then consume mercurymercury

The sun…The sun…• Will pulsate

• Will throw off layers

• The hot core will remain and then eventually cool off and slowly…fade…away…