Articles tagged with Sun
New data from NASA's Cassini mission, combined with measurements from Voyager spacecraft and IBEX, suggests that the sun's magnetic field creates a rounded heliosphere, rather than a comet-shaped structure. The study reveals that the heliosphere is nearly symmetrical, which could impact how cosmic rays reach the inner solar system.
A large, wispy shell of gas, Sh2-308, is blown out by intense radiation from the extreme Wolf-Rayet star EZ Canis Majoris. The star's ongoing activity pushes the bubble to grow bigger and farther apart.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of three mid-level solar flares on April 2-3, 2017. The flares had M-class intensities, with the largest being an M5.8 flare.
A recent NASA study using ARTEMIS observations reveals that most energy from magnetic reconnection is converted to heat in the nighttime magnetosphere, affecting exhaust flow stability. This finding provides crucial information about how magnetic reconnection can send particles towards Earth, initiating auroras and space weather.
Spanish researchers estimated optimal UV radiation exposure times to synthesize vitamin D, highlighting the difficulty of achieving recommended doses in winter months. The study found that, even in sun-rich countries like Spain, excessive exposure times are required during winter to obtain the necessary vitamin D.
Scientists from NASA and NCAR have shown that tracking coronal mass ejections can help detect solar energetic particles earlier than current forecasting techniques. This could provide critical warning time for astronauts in low-Earth orbit or interplanetary space.
The GOES-16 SUVI instrument has successfully captured its first solar images, providing valuable data on coronal plasma temperatures and emission measurements. This will enable the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center to issue early warnings for potential geomagnetic storms impacting Earth's magnetic field.
Researchers found a 87 million-year-old signature of resonance transition between Mars and Earth in Colorado rocks, confirming the 'chaotic solar system' theory. This discovery provides a new understanding of the mechanics of the solar system and its impact on climate change over geologic time scales.
Researchers have observed spectroscopically two distant asteroids and found their orbits are almost identical, suggesting a common origin. The team proposes that these asteroids were once a binary pair that separated after an encounter with a planet beyond Pluto's orbit.
Researchers suggest an unseen population of gas giant planets may exist at distances similar to Jupiter and Saturn, resolving a long-standing debate about their formation. The predicted planets could be found using NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope.
Dr. Yujie Sun is exploring novel electrolyzers to produce hydrogen at lower energy input, potentially creating a safer and cleaner source of fuel. His research aims to develop an oxidative process that produces value-added organic products in the liquid phase.
A new film developed by Yao Zhai and colleagues can dissipate the sun's thermal energy, resulting in a cooling effect. The material is lightweight, easily conforms to curved surfaces, and relatively easy to mass produce, making it a promising solution for passive radiative cooling.
New NASA research suggests that young red dwarf stars can make planets uninhabitable through frequent stellar eruptions, potentially erasing the water supply and preventing life from developing. This challenges traditional definitions of habitable zones.
Researchers have identified a new type of solar event and dated it to 5480 BC using carbon-14 levels in tree rings. The team proposes causes for the event, extending knowledge of the sun's behavior and its effects on Earth. The study provides new insights into the sun's activity during the mid-Holocene period.
Scientists are taking advantage of the rare opportunity to study the sun and Earth during the August 2017 total solar eclipse. The event will provide a chance to collect data only available during eclipses, including studying the corona and its effects on space weather.
The Fermi telescope has observed high-energy light from solar eruptions on the far side of the sun, which should block direct light. This allows scientists to study how charged particles are accelerated to nearly the speed of light during solar flares.
A new tool called EEGGL helps map out the paths of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) before they reach Earth. The model is based on fundamental physics theory and takes into account the magnetic structure of CMEs, providing a better understanding of their behavior in space.
A new study from Georgia Institute of Technology reveals that Charon, Pluto's largest moon, significantly reduces the stripping of Pluto's atmosphere by solar wind when positioned between the sun and Pluto. This barrier creates a more acute angle of Pluto's bow shock, slowing down atmospheric loss.
Astronomers use Hubble observations to characterize the interstellar medium along Voyager 1 and 2's trajectories. The study reveals a rich, complex ecology with multiple clouds of hydrogen and other elements.
Researchers have discovered a star that ingested some of its planets, revealing a violent history for the planetary system. The star's composition suggests it devoured four planets, preserving lithium and other elements in its atmosphere.
Researchers observed L2 Puppis, a star similar to the Sun 5 billion years ago, to understand its evolution and potential impact on planets. A planet orbiting the giant star may offer clues about Earth's ultimate fate.
A new optical chip enables astronomers to capture clear images of exoplanets near their host sun, overcoming the challenge of intense solar brightness. This breakthrough technology uses an interferometer to cancel out sunlight and detect fainter planet light, paving the way for discovering planets with conditions suitable for life.
IRIS collects data on the temperature and movement of solar material to determine how it drives the constant changes on our sun. The mission aims to answer questions about coronal heating and solar activity, with recent studies suggesting distinct bomb-like events.
The new observatory will record high-resolution images of the Sun every five seconds, measuring internal gravity waves and their role in transporting energy and momentum. The data will aid in understanding space weather events, solar coronal heating, and the structure of the Sun's atmosphere.
The CU Boulder instrument suite, EXIS, will measure energy output from the sun that can affect satellite operations, telecommunications, GPS navigation, and power grids on Earth. The instruments will provide rapid alerts for solar flares and monitor extreme ultraviolet light wavelengths.
NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) is breaking records with a Guinness World Record for the highest altitude fix of a GPS signal, reaching 43,500 miles above Earth. The four MMS spacecraft maintain tight formations to map magnetic reconnection and study phenomena around the universe.
Scientists at the University of Virginia have made new inroads on understanding the fundamental physics behind hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs), a class of materials that are extremely lightweight and flexible. By discovering ways to stabilize their properties, researchers hope to expand the temperature stability range of H...
A recent study by Caltech researchers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown suggests that the large, undiscovered planet Planet Nine is responsible for the sun's tilted orbit. The planet's massive size and unique orbit cause a multi-billion-year wobble in the solar system, resulting in a six-degree tilt.
Research found that circumbinary planets can survive the late stages of their binary star's life by moving to wider orbits. Many such planets are likely to escape destruction and potentially become habitable for a short period.
The MinXSS CubeSat collects data on soft X-rays, providing insight into solar flare physics and temperature, density, and abundance of solar flare material. This information is crucial for understanding how flares evolve and heat the sun's atmosphere.
Astronomers captured the best view yet of a breaking apart comet using NASA's Hubble telescope. The images show 25 fragments drifting away from the comet at walking speed, suggesting it may be spinning so fast that material is ejected from its surface.
Research from the University of Warwick suggests that Planet Nine's existence could lead to the elimination of a giant planet and its ejection into interstellar space. The hypothetical planet's presence could cause a 'pinball' effect, hurling planets out of the solar system as the sun dies in around seven billion years.
Plant biologists discovered how sunflowers use their internal circadian clocks to follow the sun during the day as they grow, acting on growth hormones. The plants' ability to track the sun was disrupted when staked or turned away from the sun, and continued even in an indoor growth chamber with a fixed light source.
The median installed price of solar in the US fell by 5-12% in 2015, with residential systems declining 5% and utility-scale projects falling 12%, according to two new studies from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The report attributes recent system price declines to reductions in hardware costs and 'solar soft' costs.
Researchers have identified a young star over 30 times the mass of our Sun, which could help us understand how massive stars are formed. The discovery suggests that massive stars form in a similar way to smaller stars like our Sun.
Arctic sea ice cover is still declining despite slower melt rates, scientists say. The new normal for sea ice extent is expected to remain low due to extreme weather conditions.
Researchers at SLAC and Stanford have created a nanostructured device that disinfects water using the full range of visible sunlight, killing bacteria in minutes. The device triggers the formation of hydrogen peroxide and other disinfecting chemicals.
According to new theoretical work, life on Earth is actually premature from a cosmic perspective. The chances of life growing much higher in the distant future due to star lifetimes were found to be 1000 times higher than now. Scientists recommend studying nearby red dwarf stars and their planets for signs of habitability.
The NASA Solar Probe Plus mission is progressing toward its anticipated summer 2018 launch after passing a critical design review. The spacecraft will collect data on the mechanisms that heat the corona and accelerate the solar wind, crucial for understanding our space weather and its impact on satellites.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured a video of twisting solar material on the sun's surface, showcasing turbulence caused by combative magnetic forces. The footage reveals a dark filament suspended above the sun's surface.
A team from Southwest Research Institute suggests that asteroid impacts during the early days of Earth's history led to a massive greenhouse effect, stabilizing temperatures and delivering essential elements for life. This mechanism may have played a key role in sustaining liquid water on our planet.
A large-scale study found a slight increase in risk of cutaneous melanoma among men taking PDE5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction, but this was largely explained by greater sun exposure. The study suggests that these drugs are unlikely to be associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.
A team of researchers discovered a new planet orbiting two suns simultaneously, Kepler-1647b, the largest circumbinary planet with a mass and radius similar to Jupiter. Located 3,700 light-years away, the planet has an enormous orbit taking roughly three Earth-years to complete.
Scientists at the University of Delaware discovered a 23-million-year-old brown dwarf that can emit powerful flashes of light, stronger than the sun's. The ultracool brown dwarf, 2MASS 0335+23, has lots of flares as hot as or hotter than full-fledged stars.
A MSU physicist developed a new model that predicts the speed of solar plasma during solar flares, likening it to the path traveled by a thrown baseball. The model has implications for understanding how solar flares evolve and providing better ways to predict them.
A new study suggests that comets like 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko may undergo a repeating process of breaking up and reuniting, driven by spinning dynamics. The research team used numerical models to simulate the past life of 67P, predicting exactly where cracks would form on its neck.
Astronomers at Lund University propose that Planet 9, a mysterious object in our solar system, may be an exoplanet captured by the sun. The study suggests that the sun stole the planet from its original star during a close encounter.
The image reveals details as small as 20 to 30 miles across, showcasing the planet's polar caps, clouds, and vivid rust-colored landscape. The Hubble view also highlights ancient features such as Syrtis Major Planitia and Hellas Planitia basin.
The NASA-funded Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) captured striking images of Mercury during its May 9, 2016 transit across the sun. By observing this phenomenon, researchers can calibrate IRIS and gather data on the sun's lower atmosphere.
Researchers find that planets in the red giant habitable zone can stay warm for up to half a billion years, potentially allowing life to thrive. This discovery offers optimism for the chances of life existing on worlds orbiting older stars.
The MMS mission directly observed magnetic reconnection for the first time, revealing a critical step in understanding space weather. By studying the phenomenon, scientists can better understand solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and auroras.
Three NASA satellites will observe Mercury's transit, offering a rare opportunity to study planetary motion and the sun's effects. The event will also be used to calibrate space instruments and test spacecraft.
New research by astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics examines scenarios for Planet Nine's formation and finds most have low probabilities. The simplest solution suggests the solar system created an extra gas giant, boosting Planet Nine into its wider orbit over time.
A team of astronomers has discovered three planets with sizes similar to Earth's orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, which may possess habitable regions. The planets' orbits are extremely close to their host star, receiving four times and twice less radiation than Earth.
A team of astronomers has discovered a unique rocky body in the Oort Cloud, a region surrounding the Sun like a giant soap bubble. The object, dubbed a Manx comet due to its tailless nature, is believed to be one of the potential building blocks of rocky planets like Earth.
Physicists validate numerical simulation methods using 40 methods and 15 software packages, confirming high precision. The study's results aim to improve accuracy in theoretical speculation.
Astronomers have identified a young and bright planet-like object, 2MASS J1119-1137, which is only 10 million years old and four to eight times the mass of Jupiter. This discovery provides valuable insights into giant planets outside our Solar System and offers a unique opportunity to study these objects.
The Solar Wind Around Pluto (SWAP) instrument collected three years' worth of measurements before the July 15 Pluto flyby. Data showed that the solar wind's tumultuous flow becomes more uniform by the time it reaches Pluto's orbit.
Astronomers have captured unprecedented details of the TW Hydrae disk, which may host a super-Earth or an infant version of our home planet. The images show concentric dusty bright rings and dark gaps, including a tantalizing gap at Earth's distance from the star.
A team of scientists has found that a star similar to the Sun could potentially create a massive eruption known as a superflare, which could have devastating effects on Earth. The research used data from nearly 100,000 stars to show that superflares are likely formed through the same mechanism as solar flares.