Articles tagged with Sun
Two lunar transits were observed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in September 2018, with the first lasting one hour and obscuring 92% of the Sun. The second transit was shorter, lasting 49 minutes and showing a distinct view of the Moon's surface due to the lack of atmospheric distortion.
Scientists are developing a NASA-funded rocket called FOXSI to study the Sun's X-ray emissions. The mission will use X-ray vision to detect nanoflares, which are intense eruptions that heat the solar atmosphere to millions of degrees Fahrenheit.
Researchers re-examine older data on coronal mass ejections, finding new information that could help protect satellites and the electrical grid from impacts.
Researchers at Predictive Science Inc. developed a complex numerical model to simulate the corona, using data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. Their prediction bore a striking resemblance to the Aug. 21, 2017, corona, indicating advances in the new model and its ability to reflect key features such as helmet streamers.
A team of scientists has discovered a unique planetary nebula with an inverted ionization structure surrounding a central star undergoing a 'born-again' process, which is expected to occur in the Sun's future evolution. This finding provides valuable insights into the late-stage evolution of stars like our Sun.
Parker Solar Probe, launched in August 2018, will study the solar corona's temperature and wind sources with French-developed instruments. The probe will complete 25 orbits near the Sun, reaching speeds of up to 700,000 km/h.
Parker Solar Probe will make its journey to the Sun's atmosphere, closer than any spacecraft in history, with a highly elliptical orbit and speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour. The spacecraft will observe the acceleration of the solar wind and study extreme events on the Sun, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
A class X-2.2 and major class X-9.3 solar flare erupted on the morning of September 6, causing a strong radio blackout over most of the sunlit side of Earth, including the Caribbean. The disruption affected shortwave radio communications used by amateurs and professionals in emergency response efforts.
The Parker Solar Probe will directly sample solar particles and magnetic fields to resolve the origin and acceleration of the solar wind. It aims to understand how the solar wind is accelerated to speeds of up to 1.8 million miles per hour.
A new study in Nature Astronomy finds that ancient blue crystals trapped in meteorites show evidence of the early Sun's intense activity, including more eruptions and a stronger stream of charged particles. The crystals, formed over 4.5 billion years ago, preserved chemical records of the young Sun's interactions with its surroundings.
Researchers developed a computational method to accurately predict cell subpopulation conversions, enabling potential applications in regenerative medicine. The platform, TransSyn, identifies subtle genetic differences between cell subtypes, allowing for targeted gene expression alteration and cell reprogramming.
Scientists have long been puzzled by the Sun's hot corona, with temperatures up to 2 million degrees Fahrenheit. The Parker Solar Probe will sample just-heated particles in the corona, providing the most pristine measurements ever recorded.
Astronomers at Georgia State University have discovered a thin gap on the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, indicating where stars transition from being larger and mostly convective to smaller and fully convective. This finding reveals information about the interior structures of low-mass stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Scientists can now study the Sun's complex motions using sound waves captured by NASA and ESA. This sonification technique provides a unique probe into the star's inner workings, revealing huge rivers of solar material flowing around its core.
Parker Solar Probe aims to study the Sun's dynamic and magnetically active star, focusing on the acceleration of solar wind, corona's high temperatures, and solar energetic particles. The mission uses four suites of instruments to gather data remotely and in situ.
The Parker Solar Probe will travel closer to the Sun than any mission before it, providing unprecedented observations of the corona. Despite temperatures exceeding a million degrees Fahrenheit, the spacecraft will withstand due to its custom heat shield and autonomous system.
A team of scientists led by Craig DeForest used advanced algorithms and data-cleaning techniques to analyze images taken by NASA's STEREO spacecraft. They discovered fine-grained structures in the outer corona, which is the source of the solar wind. The study provides new insights into the Sun's million-degree atmosphere.
Researchers have developed a new IR instrument to search for potentially habitable planets around small red dwarf stars. The instrument, IRD, uses advanced technology to measure the line-of-sight movement of stars and detect planets with high accuracy.
A team of astronomers led by Marco Micheli and Karen Meech found that Oumuamua was not slowing down due to gravitational forces alone, pointing to non-gravitational perturbations similar to those experienced by comets. Despite initial classification as an asteroid, the object's trajectory and behavior are more consistent with a comet.
To correct for degradation, NASA launches calibration sounding rockets carrying a copy of the EVE instrument to approximately 180 miles above Earth. These measurements are compared to those from the degraded satellite, allowing Woods' team to correct for discrepancies and maintain accurate EUV light measurements.
Using a pioneering method, researchers discovered a massive neutron star with a mass of approximately 2.3 Solar masses. This discovery challenges the previous understanding of neutron star masses and opens new avenues for studying these extreme objects.
The solar wind pressure increase in 2014 led to a change in the shape of our heliosphere. The boundaries of the heliosphere expanded outward as particles rebounded off their edges. This expansion can be seen in the increased density of energetic neutral atoms detected by IBEX, which have been traveling through space and returned to Earth.
Researchers at CU Boulder propose that 'detached objects' like Sedna may result from the collective gravity of these bodies and space debris in the outer solar system. Computer simulations suggest that these icy objects orbit the sun like the hands of a clock, with smaller objects moving faster than larger ones.
A Brazilian scientist and her co-author found that an extrasolar asteroid has stably occupied a stable path corresponding to Jupiter's orbit for at least 4.5 billion years. The asteroid is believed to have originated from outside the Solar System, likely captured by Jupiter's powerful gravitational field.
The Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter missions will take us closer than ever before to the Sun, providing a comprehensive understanding of its inner workings and shedding light on space weather events that can disrupt technology and power grids. The missions aim to clarify the coronal heating problem and study the solar wind's inter...
Researchers analyzed data from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission and found magnetic reconnection occurring at the smallest scale of electrons, creating hot jets of plasma that dissipate turbulence. This process was previously unknown at small scales, but it confirms reconnection is happening on these scales.
Scientists have observed turbulent magnetic reconnection at small scales in the magnetosheath just outside Earth's magnetic field. This phenomenon, involving only electrons, helps dissipate magnetic energy and may play a role in heating the solar corona.
A team of international astronomers predicts the sun will turn into a planetary nebula, marking the end of its active life. The new model shows that low-mass stars like the sun can form bright planetary nebulas, solving a long-standing scientific puzzle.
Researchers have developed a method for using sunlight to generate clean water with near-perfect efficiency. The technology uses carbon-dipped paper to absorb and vaporize water, drawing heat from the surrounding environment to achieve high efficiency rates.
A study using ALMA found a surprising distribution of star-forming cores, with fewer massive stars and more solar-mass stars than expected. This discovery may require reevaluation of the relationship between core mass and star mass.
New research estimates total and per-case costs of newly diagnosed non-melanoma skin cancers in Canada in 2011 due to workplace sun exposure. The study found that the two most common types of non-melanoma skin cancer cost $5,760 and $10,555 per case respectively.
The discovery of 51 Pegasi b marked a significant milestone in the search for exoplanets, with Michel Mayor and his colleague Queloz credited with the groundbreaking find. The development of better telescopes enabled this achievement, contributing to a new community of researchers exploring this field.
A study by University of Seville finds that human primary activities are synchronized with the winter day as a synchronizer, rather than clock time. The study characterizes laborer's activities along the daily and yearly cycle of light and dark, revealing latitudinal patterns tied to the light/dark cycle.
Scientists used data from three NASA satellites to create a 3D model of coronal mass ejections and their associated shocks, confirming long-held theoretical predictions. The new models provide detailed information on shock density, speed, and strength, essential for assessing the danger CMEs pose to astronauts and spacecraft.
Researchers have created hybrid solar cells that can harness energy from both sunlight and falling raindrops. The innovative design uses textured polymers to increase the performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) in rainy conditions.
A Caltech researcher has found that the Schrödinger Equation governs the evolution of massive astrophysical disks. The equation, typically used for subatomic systems, describes how warps and distortions emerge in these disks over millions of years. This surprising discovery could provide new insights into complex astronomical phenomena.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) begins its annual eclipse season, which lasts three weeks. During this period, Earth blocks SDO's view of the Sun for short periods, typically lasting from 2-72 minutes.
Scientists identified a confining 'cage' in which a magnetic rope forms, causing solar eruptions. The resistance of this cage determines the power and type of flare. A new model predicts maximum energy release during solar flares, potentially devastating for Earth's systems.
Researchers found that the Moon's excessive equatorial bulge formed slowly over four billion years ago as it receded from Earth. The study suggests a weaker young Sun may have enabled this process, with implications for our understanding of Earth's early energy dissipation.
Researchers studied spacecraft data to understand magnetic reconnection, a phenomenon that breaks standard laws governing charged particles. The study confirmed theoretical descriptions of magnetic reconnection, which is linked to celestial events such as black holes, pulsars, and supernovas.
Researchers have produced the first detailed images of a giant star outside our solar system, showcasing a nearly circular atmosphere with complex convection cells. The study confirms theories about the characteristics of these stars, providing insight into their future activity and appearance.
A NASA team studied the motion of Mercury to indirectly measure the Sun's mass loss and solar parameters. The research improved upon earlier predictions, reducing uncertainty and providing a more accurate estimate of the rate of solar mass loss.
The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has detected a comet's rotation period slow by more than 10 times in just 60 days, revealing light variations associated with material recently ejected into the coma. The comet's small size and high water production suggest that more than half of its surface area contains sunlight-activated jets.
A team from Aarhus University has discovered a star with similar characteristics to the Sun, allowing for the observation of its 7.4-year cycle. The star's heavy elements led to stronger magnetic field variability and surface rotation patterns. This study could help understand how the Sun affects our climate.
Astronomer Catherine Pilachowski discovers star RZ Piscium is slowly consuming its planetary offspring, shedding light on a brief but volatile period in solar system history. The study provides insight into the evolution of planetary systems and why some young solar systems survive while others don't.
A team of astronomers discovered massive clouds of gas and dust orbiting the star RZ Piscium, which could have formed from destroyed planets. The star's unusual dimming episodes suggest it is a young Sun-like star with a debris disk.
Astronomers have imaged the surface of a red giant star, π1 Gruis, in unprecedented detail. The star's photosphere features just a few convective cells, or granules, which are much larger than those on our Sun.
A study on Mars- and Venus-sized planet formation suggests that low solar activity helped Venus retain its atmosphere. The model indicates that Mars lost its atmosphere due to low gravity and high stellar EUV luminosity, while Venus retained its atmosphere in scenarios with moderate radiation.
Researchers developed a model that shows how planetary chemistry could create a greenhouse effect on an exoplanet, keeping it warm despite a cold sun. The model, based on Earth's possible geological and biological chemistry three billion years ago, suggests that methane may have played a key role in maintaining the planet's temperature.
Researchers gathered data on Sun's atmosphere and its impact on Earth's atmosphere, revealing new insights into the Sun-Earth connection. The eclipse also provided an opportunity to test models of the ionosphere's effects on communication signals.
CU Boulder's Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1) instrument suite is set for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, aiming to monitor the planet's climate by measuring solar radiation. The mission will help distinguish between natural and human influences on climate, with implications for understanding Earth's processes.
Researchers have proposed a new model to explain turbulent processes in plasmas, which are estimated to make up 99% of the universe's visible matter. The findings suggest that magnetic reconnection plays a crucial role in plasma turbulence, providing a conceptual shift in understanding its dynamics and properties.
The Dellingr spacecraft, designed to demonstrate the viability of CubeSats for scientific research, has begun its checkout process after being released into low-Earth orbit on November 20. The spacecraft is equipped with a suite of miniaturized instruments to gather data on the Sun's influence on Earth's upper atmosphere.
Scientists have discovered oscillations in solar flares that exhibit pulses or oscillations in the amount of energy being sent out. These findings offer new insights into the origins of massive solar flares and their effects on space weather.
The proposed FOXSI mission will study the physical mechanisms behind solar flares and their impact on Earth. By analyzing X-ray radiation and particle acceleration, scientists aim to gain a deeper understanding of space weather and its effects on satellites and communications systems.
A new NASA mission concept aims to study why planets lose their atmospheres. The proposed Mechanisms of Energetic Mass Ejection-Explorer (MEME-X) mission will use Earth as a laboratory, focusing on the loss of mass in the upper atmospheric layers and its interaction with solar wind.
The Hitomi mission has provided unprecedented insights into the chemical composition of hot gas in the Perseus galaxy cluster. Scientists have found that the proportions of iron-peak elements are nearly identical to those seen in our solar system, suggesting a similar chemical evolution process.
A team of astronomers observed the surface of a red giant star, similar to the Sun, using ALMA. The research revealed powerful shock waves and unexpected heat in its atmosphere, challenging current theoretical models.
The ALMA discovery reveals two dust belts surrounding Proxima Centauri, one extending four hundred million kilometres from the star and another even farther out. These findings suggest a complex planetary system with multiple planets and potentially offer insights into the formation of the Earth.
Researchers used biblical and ancient Egyptian texts to determine an annular solar eclipse on 30 October 1207 BC, which could help date the Egyptian pharaohs, including Ramesses the Great. This calculation enables precise dating of their reigns with a one-year precision.