Articles tagged with Sun
Researchers report a lower value of total solar irradiance than previously measured, demonstrating improved accuracy and consistency. The new findings will help resolve the question of how significant a contributor solar fluctuations are to global warming.
Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a more accurate solar map for California, suggesting that west-facing solar panels can increase energy production. By optimizing panel orientation, households and businesses can maximize their solar power output during peak demand hours.
Researchers discover that jets of plasma shooting up from just above the Sun's surface are a major source of hot gas replenishing the corona. This finding addresses a fundamental question in astrophysics and provides new insight into the Sun's subtle influence on the Earth's upper atmosphere.
Scientists observed temperatures of millions of degrees in gas jets, known as spicules, which could contribute to coronal heating. The discovery offers a new framework for understanding the sun's high atmosphere and its role in space weather.
Scientists have discovered that narrow jets of plasma, known as spicules, shoot up from the Sun's surface and insert heated plasma into its outer atmosphere. This finding addresses a fundamental question in astrophysics and provides an observational challenge to existing theories of coronal heating.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered that the hornet's body shell can harvest solar power due to its unique structure. The yellow and brown stripes on the abdomen enable a photo-voltaic effect, converting solar radiation into electric energy.
SOHO has become the single greatest comet finder of all time, with over 2,000 comets discovered. The spacecraft was not designed for this purpose, but its cameras have proven effective in spotting comets due to their ability to block out the sun's brightness.
University of Washington engineering students have developed a device that uses the sun's rays to detect bacterial and viral contaminants in drinking water. The device, called Solar Disinfection of Water (SODIS), was designed to monitor water disinfection using the sun's rays and has won $40,000 prize from Rockefeller Foundation.
Researchers at Lund University found that high solar activity cools surface water temperatures in tropical Pacific regions during the early Holocene. This phenomenon may influence current climate patterns, such as low solar activity coinciding with cold winters.
A new study demonstrates that magnetic forces correctly explain the motion of erupting plasma clouds, resolving a long-standing challenge in understanding coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The research uses data from the STEREO twin-satellite mission to validate a theoretical model of CMEs as giant 'magnetic flux ropes'.
The NASA Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) mission has been extended for the fourth time to study the upper atmosphere. The mission will focus on differentiating between human-induced and naturally occurring changes in this atmospheric region, allowing scientists to understand long-term trends.
According to a University of California, Berkeley study, nearly one in four sun-like stars could have Earth-size planets. The researchers found increasing numbers of smaller planets, down to super-Earths, about three times the mass of Earth.
A new study published in Nature found that a decline in the Sun's activity may cause the Earth to become warmer, contrary to previous expectations. The research suggests that an increase in solar activity may actually cool the planet, rather than warm it.
The Solar Probe Plus mission will send a robotic spacecraft to the sun's atmosphere to answer long-standing questions about its outer layers. The probe will measure magnetic and electric properties, helping to understand how solar wind is generated and better comprehend the heliosphere.
The new facility will help scientists better understand solar flares, which affect technologies like GPS systems and power grids. The expanded array will increase the number of available radio frequencies, allowing researchers to decode flare spectra and make new discoveries.
The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft has made significant discoveries about the interaction between the solar wind and interstellar space. The spacecraft has found that the strength of the interaction varies dramatically across the sky, with a long 'ribbon' and an intense hotspot detected in the heliosheath. These findi...
The Solar Probe Plus mission will explore the sun's corona and solar wind in unprecedented detail. The NRL's Wide-field Imager will provide direct measurements of the plasma and create 3-D images of clouds and shocks.
New supercomputer simulations show what the solar system might look like to alien astronomers searching for planets. The models also provide a glimpse of how this view might have changed as our planetary system matured.
NASA has awarded CU-Boulder $6.7 million to design instruments for the Solar Probe Plus mission, which will orbit 22 times closer to the sun than Earth. The team aims to understand how the sun ticks and better forecast radiation environments for future space explorers.
The Center for Astrophysics (CfA) will play a major role in NASA's Solar Probe Plus mission by deploying the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) Investigation. SWEAP will directly sample the Sun's outer atmosphere, providing unprecedented insights into the Sun's effects on the solar system.
Astronomers have found evidence for stellar cannibalism in the star BP Piscium, which appears to be an old red giant. The discovery suggests that stars like our Sun may engulf companion stars or planets as they age.
Scientists found that irrigation can have a significant cooling effect on regional temperatures, with some areas experiencing up to 3 degrees C cooling. However, the study also warns of impending water scarcity due to overuse of groundwater aquifers, which could exacerbate food shortages and temperature increases.
The Solar Probe Plus mission will measure energetic particles in the Sun's corona, providing critical data on acceleration mechanisms and space weather. SwRI-led instruments will help determine the structure and dynamics of the Sun's magnetic field and forecast hazardous space weather.
Researchers found that solar flares can affect the decay rate of certain radioactive elements on Earth. This effect is likely caused by solar neutrinos emitted by the sun. The study's findings could lead to a new method for predicting solar flares and protecting satellites from damage.
Researchers discovered that many binary asteroid pairs do not remain bound to each other but escape, forming two separate asteroids in orbit around the sun. The study showed a specific relationship between the larger and smaller members of the pair, with the smallest one always less than 60% of the size of its companion.
A new study shows that sunlight drives asteroids to split in two and move far apart, forming binary and divorced binaries. The research suggests that many of these binaries likely originated from asteroid fission, with smaller asteroids separating at low velocities.
A new study using Spitzer data reveals a large amount of dust around three mature double-star systems, possibly resulting from planetary collisions. The research suggests that tight double-star systems might not be suitable for life to thrive due to the increased likelihood of chaotic events.
A Mediterranean diet high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to reduce the damaging effects of UV rays on the skin. Foods such as olive oil, fish, fruits and vegetables can provide essential nutrients to protect against skin cancer, while regular sunscreen applications and protective clothing are also crucial.
Researchers from Boston University's Center for Space Physics observed recent auroral displays in high latitudes accompanied by fainter glows in lower latitudes. The team detected signs of a new cycle of solar-terrestrial activity, including Stable Auroral Red (SAR) arcs in the southern hemisphere.
A team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that adding just 9% selenium to zinc oxide boosts the material's efficiency in absorbing light. This breakthrough potentially addresses both cost and efficiency needs for sustainable solar power conversion.
The Caltech-Canadian Space Agency partnership aims to detect signs of microbial life and geological activity on Mars. The MATMOS instrument will analyze gases in the Martian atmosphere with high sensitivity.
Astronomers have discovered a brown dwarf companion to a young sun-like star, PZ Tel A. The discovery reveals the early stages of solar system formation and provides insights into planetary formation.
Scientists have discovered a star with a mass of 265 solar masses in the Large Magellanic Cloud, exceeding previous records. This finding raises questions about the formation process of such massive stars and their role in shaping the universe.
Scientists and engineers from NASA and NOAA worked together to recover the Solar X-Ray Imager instrument on GOES-15, which finally came online on June 3. The team conducted long-duration turn-on tests and successfully captured several test solar images after overcoming a challenging recovery process.
A team of astronomers suggests that many comets, including Halley and Hale-Bopp, could be from other star systems. The researchers propose that the Sun captured these icy bodies during its birth in a dense gas cloud.
A new study suggests that many well-known comets, including Halley and Hale-Bopp, may have formed in orbit around other stars. The Sun is believed to have captured small icy bodies from its sibling stars, creating a reservoir for observed comets.
A team of researchers tracked a comet as it approached the sun using data from NASA's STEREO and SOHO spacecraft. The comet, believed to be part of the Kreutz family, survived the intense heat of the corona and evaporated in the chromosphere.
The Aqua satellite captured a detailed image of the oil slick in sunglint, revealing an uneven shape with varying shades of bright gray-beige. The satellite imagery is being used to track the spread of the oil spill and inform fishing regulations.
An international team of astronomers will conduct a closer look at the mega star birthing cloud, located 8,000 light years away in the Southern sky constellation Carina. The cloud is collapsing in on itself, offering an unusual view into behemoth star birth and providing insights into the formation of our solar system.
Researchers have uncovered the reason behind a four-billion-year-old 'missing ice age,' solving one of science's greatest mysteries. The discovery reveals that thin clouds and oceans played a crucial role in keeping the Earth warm, contradicting previous theories about greenhouse gases.
Researchers found that the Earth's magnetic field 3.5 billion years ago was weaker than today, making it easier for solar winds to strip away water from the early atmosphere. The stronger solar wind likely caused more polar aurora and reduced water vapor levels, with potential implications for modern-day water availability.
Astronomers have found a giant magnetic loop stretching from one star to the other in the Algol binary system. The discovery was made using an international collection of radio telescopes and helps explain previous observations at X-ray and radio wavelengths.
The NASA Deep Impact spacecraft has captured videos of sun glints from space, indicating the presence of large bodies of water on Earth. The observations provide a way to detect planets beyond our solar system that are likely to have expanses of liquid, increasing the chances of finding life.
Astronomers discovered a distant star that exploded 7 billion years ago when its center became unstable and created matter and anti-matter particle pairs. The Y-155 supernova was 100 billion times brighter than the sun, releasing an enormous amount of energy.
Researchers observed the sun's outer atmosphere during eclipses, capturing the first images of the solar corona in a near-infrared emission line of highly ionized iron. The observations revealed localized regions of enhanced density and extended beyond three solar radii above the sun's surface.
Researchers found that tides strongly modulate tremors on the San Andreas Fault, suggesting high fluid pressure lubricates the rock. This lubrication allows for slip with little effort, increasing stress on shallower fracture zones.
Researchers found two brown dwarf-sized masses around an ordinary star, which is extremely rare. The discovery suggests that planets may assemble around stars more quickly and efficiently than thought possible.
LRO's instruments are providing groundbreaking data on the moon's geology, temperature, and radiation. The camera has mapped Apollo landing sites with high resolution, while the Diviner instrument discovered polar craters that can be brutally cold, trapping compounds like water and organic molecules.
Researchers have discovered two new planetary systems with low-mass 'super-Earths' orbiting nearby sun-like stars. The planets are smaller than previously discovered worlds and may be habitable.
An international team of astronomers has discovered six low-mass planets, including two super-Earths, around two nearby Sun-like stars. The discovery indicates that low-mass planets are common and potentially habitable worlds may be found within a few years.
A faint star Alcor has been found to have a smaller red dwarf companion, orbiting it every 90 years. The discovery was made using the 'common parallactic motion' technique developed by Project 1640, which measures the movement of nearby stars relative to more distant ones.
Astronomers have directly imaged a faint celestial body orbiting the star GJ 758, estimated to be between 10 and 40 Jupiter masses. The discovered planet, GJ 758 B, has a temperature of around 330 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest companion of a Sun-like star ever imaged.
A new study led by CU-Boulder suggests that the first large black holes in the universe formed and grew inside gigantic, starlike cocoons. These cocoons likely prevented surrounding gases from being blown away and smothered powerful x-ray radiation.
Astronomers have discovered that Sun-like stars with planetary systems tend to have lower levels of lithium than those without planets. The study, which analyzed 500 stars, found that planet-bearing stars had less than 1% of the lithium present in other similar stars.
The SUNRISE balloon-borne telescope has delivered images showing the complex interplay on the solar surface with unprecedented detail. The mission reveals a connection between magnetic field strength and solar brightness, with implications for Earth's heat input.
Astronomers have found a middleweight black hole in galaxy NGC 5408, with masses between 1,000 and 9,000 solar masses. The discovery was made using the Swift satellite and XMM-Newton observatory, which detected quasi-periodic oscillations from the black hole.
During Saturn's equinox, light hits the ring particles at low angles, giving a three-dimensional view of the rings. The CIRS instrument on board the Cassini spacecraft observed record-low temperatures of 382 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in the A-ring.
The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) satellite has revealed an unexpected landmark at the outer edge of the solar wind bubble, forming a giant ribbon of energetic neutral atoms. The structure is associated with enhanced production of energetic neutral atoms due to interstellar magnetic forces.
The Moon absorbs electrically charged particles to produce water, confirming a key process on the lunar surface. The discovery enables scientists to create images of the Moon and other airless bodies using hydrogen atoms as tracers.
The IBEX spacecraft has created a new comprehensive sky map of our solar system, showcasing its location within the Milky Way galaxy. The map highlights the region that separates our heliosphere from interstellar space, with bright emissions not previously detected by Voyager spacecraft.