fundamentals: the sun
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Solar Weather
When you hear the word “weather,” you probably think of clouds and lightning bolts and rainstorms. Maybe, if you live in particularly high elevation or latitude, you think snowstorms or even blizzards. We humans are used to these weather patterns.…
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The Proton-Proton Chain
Take a wild guess: how much energy do you think the sun generates? Think about it. It definitely generates enough energy to power a world. Humans depend on the photosynthesis of plants, which converts sunlight into energy. And that’s not…
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The Battery of the Sun
Does this image look familiar? It should — these are soap bubbles. Okay, now you’re probably going to ask me how soap bubbles have anything to do with the battery of the sun. Well…you might be surprised to know that…
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Our Sun: The Corona
When we observe our sun’s corona, we discover something odd. It’s really, really hot. But…wait a second. How is that odd? Shouldn’t the sun be hot? Well…yes. It should, and it is. Its surface temperature is almost ten thousand degrees…
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Our Sun: The Chromosphere
This diagram is a tiny bit misleading. Here, it looks like the chromosphere is the visible surface of the sun, with the photosphere just below. Really, we never see the chromosphere. If you ever look through a solar telescope at…
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Our Sun: The Photosphere
Recognize this? You might, if you’ve ever seen the sun through a telescope before. What you’re seeing is the photosphere, the layer of the sun whose light reaches Earth. This is the only layer you’ll ever see, without the aid…
