

Mass: 1.909 x 1030 kg



1,909,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg!!!!



Earth x 333,000



1 Solar Mass = mass of the Sun

1M

   

Radius: 6.96 x 105 km Earth x 109 Distance from Earth: 1.496 x 108 km (ave) 1 Astronomical Unit (1 AU)



Rotational Period:

 

At the equator: 25 days At the poles: 35 days



The difference in time causes the Sun to twist itself into a knot – causes the poles to reverse!

  

Temperature: At the surface: 5,000 K = 8,540° F In the core: 15,500,000 K = 27,899,540 ° F

Composition: 90% Hydrogen (H) 9% Helium (He) 1% “other” 

 

  

From the Sun, it takes light 8.32 minutes to reach us. All other mass in the SS is only 0.15% the mass of the Sun NO solids or liquids on the Sun, only gas and plasma Classic facts about the Sun Updated facts about the Sun

  -

Inner core: Where thermonuclear fusion happens Radiative Zone: Photons carry energy up from the core from collision to collusion 1 photon bumping around from core to surface? 170,000 years!!!

 -

Convective Zone: Hot gas rises up to the surface, emits photons (and heat), then cools and sinks back down Basically, a giant spherical lava lamp!

 -

Photosphere: Visible “surface” low density gas (.01% our air density)

Chromosphere: - Dimmer than surface, transparent - During an eclipse, seen as hot pink band - Constantly “spikey”: small regions rush up then rush back down after a few minutes. Spikes: Spicules 

Transition Zone: - Thin layer where temperature SKYROCKETS to 1,000,000 K very quickly 

   

Corona: 1 – 2 Million K! 10 trillion times less dense than our air As bright as the Full Moon

 -

Solar Winds: High velocity gas that escapes the Sun Strong magnetic field = “rail gun effect” 1,800,000 mph!

Arriving at Earth: 850,000 mph Shielded by our magnetosphere

Heliosphere: Bubble around the solar system, protecting us from other stars’ solar winds and radiation.

GRANULES Caused by the “lava lamp effect” happening under the surface  Upwellings of hot gas, then they cool and sink down  Makes the surface look bumpy, like corn kernels 

SUNSPOTS  

  

Cooler and darker regions Concentrated magnetic fields pull down the hot plasma Cooler plasma rushes in Lifespan: hours to days Held in clusters by fast gas swirling around them

PLAGES   



French for “beaches” Extra bright, hot, white spots Caused by magnetic fields pushing hot plasma to the surface Basically, the opposite of a sunspot…

FILAMENTS  



Dark streaks Huge volumes of cooler gas, lofted upwards off the surface Sometimes they can break off and fly away! (becoming a solar flare)

PROMINENCE  

Giant loops and arches of gas The same objects as filaments, just seen from the side

SOLAR FLARES Huge eruptions of high energy particles  Spit out from Sun and can travel through the solar system at high velocities 

CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS (CME) 

  

Giant blobs of high energy gas ejected from the Corona Can be up to 2 Trillion tons of gas We do get hit on occasion, ~25 times per solarmax Varying levels of dammage



But First, a break!

≠

Not the same thing!!!!

Fusion Nucleus of atoms Changing atomic identity - Most powerful force known to man so far...  -

Combustion Molecules exchange atoms - Atomic identity remains intact - Not nearly as powerful as nuclear power  -



If the Sun burned with combustion, it would only have enough fuel to last 5,000 years!



Without knowing about Fusion, we wouldn’t know how the sun shines!



E=mc2

Solar Luminosity = output in Watts L = 390,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000W 

Every second, the Sun converts 600 Million TONS of H into He (that’s two Empire State Buildings of H) It has enough fuel to burn for 5 Billion years, and it’s already been burning for that long!

The balance between gravity and pressure.  Gravity wants to pull the star in  Heat and pressure from fusion wants to push the star out  Stars can stay in equilibrium for billions of years, until fuel for fusion runs out… 

   

H = Hydrogen (one proton) 2H = Deuterium (one proton, one neutron) 3H = Tritium (one proton, two neutrons) 3He = Helium isotope (two protons, one neutron)

Matter vs.

Anti -matter!!!!

Regular matter

Anti - matter

Electrons (neg. charge)

Positrons (pos. charge)

Matter converts into energy “Annihilation”

E = mc2

No charge ALMOST no mass INSANELY DIFFICULT to detect! The Sun produces 100,000,000,000,000,000,00 0,000,000,000,000,000,000 of them every second 100 Billion pass through an area the size of your thumbnail every second.   

So how do we detect them?  Rarely, a neutrino hits a neutron and creates a positron (I have no idea why. Ask a particle physicist!) 1960’s: 100,000 gallon tank of dry cleaning fluid (C2Cl4) One neutrino reaction produces an Ar isotope Only 1 reaction per 3 days… 1/3 of what scientists expected

So how do we detect them?  Today: Huge tanks of “heavy water” (2H 2O). With these new tanks, the other 2/3 of neutrinos were found. When neutrinos strike the 2H, it produces particles that move FASTER THAN LIGHT, creating a flash of eerie blue light: Cerenkov Radiation

Antarctica! Using Ice as the medium instead of liquid H2O http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMnGWqoDaAA