Sunday, November 17, 2013

Sun Recap

I'm adding to the  solar Trivia I answered back in the middle of 
October!

All Corrected info will be in this pretty Fuchsia color 

I need to answer these questions before Friday so... I'm going to do just that! Lets get ready for some Solar Trivia!!!! * assorted applause like on those game shows*

1.) How does the sun compare to other Stars in the sky?
A: We do know that Stars don't  often travel alone,  yet in pairs or triplets, but usually not alone. The "Bachelor" sun we have is unique in this aspect. I also know our Sun isn't as hot at other stars. It's a yellow-y star so it wouldn't be as hot as... say a blue star. I this is what I think now. It could all be false.
Our Star's pretty Average and  while it may travel alone, overall based on it's size, temperature, and composition, The sun is pretty average and it's not as hot as a blue  star so I feel while my answer wasn't really.. in depth here, it wasn't wrong

2.) What is the Sun Made of ?
A: Gases? I bet I should know all of this from  that earth science class I was supposed to take but if I took earth science I wouldn't have taken astronomy this year. Pretty sure Hydrogen & Nitrogen are  some of the gases that make up the sun.
Well, I  left Plasma out  which  is bad since the sun is technically made of Plasma. But I was right to say  there's Hydrogen and Nitrogen ( MUCH less nitrogen if any) in the sun. IT's Hydrogen, Helium and  about 100 other trace elements.


3.) What Powers the Sun? What gives it Energy?
A: The gas would be a perfect fuel supply for the Star to emit light with, which this backs the Gas notion.
Really unsophisticated and  I had NO CLUE how  nuclear fusion worked and how  light doesn't emit form the core but  from the photosphere and chromosphere, but Hydrogen and Helium are the main energy sources..... :)

4.) Besides giving light and heat, how else can the Sun affect Earth?
A: Sun spots and Solar flares where the  Sun messes up all different kinds of wavelengths and frequencies which disrupts satellite signals, causing electronic devices to become unresponsive.
Whew..... I was right about Solar flares, but Sunspots don't really seem to affect us. IT's kinda funny reading about my previous answers.

5.) What cycles of activity does the Sun have?
A: I honestly have no definite answer on this one. I would believe whenever you face closer to it  ( Summer)  that is when  the activities of the Sun affect you the most but I don't know what separate plans the sun has for itself in the lieu of regular activity
Now knowing there are two separate cycles ( the Magnetic cycle and the sunspot  cycle) I know it depends on the cycle not the season!
6.)What are sun spots?
A: Another question I can't answer with any real certainty. I want to say the "spots" are gas bubbles within the sun that may and or may not burst. I could be far off. I know I am.
I was accidentally  identifying granules here, I think. I really find the  sunspots with their  polarities and their arcs stretching from the north polarity to the south. I also think it's fascination that  the plasma can "break free" of it's magnetic field and that's when it becomes light and that whole  dreams of fields article really helped me comprehend this concept of sunspots.


7.) What are the Northern Lights and how are they caused
The Northern lights are  what happens when  light hits the Atmosphere in such a way it causes the rippling colors. I really know squat about the Northern lights other than the fact that they are pretty
. It's more when the photons  form strong solar flares are absorbed into our atmosphere( thanks to the magnetic field taking them in) and the excess energy makes  the molecules in our atmosphere fluorescent but  I'm glad I know now, better later  than never right?

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