In order to study the Sun for its many discoveries, scientists and astronomers over the years have developed many ways to obtain and process new information for the most complete observations available. Using ground-based telescopes and satellites as the most popular methods, requiring highly-advanced special technology due to the extreme temperatures and wide variances of this magnificent star. The latest discoveries of the Sun are rapidly advancing due to the highly-technical data arriving from of its entire electromagnetic spectrum-solar interior, photosphere, chromosphere, and corona-in addition to the study of its solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
All of the latest discoveries are based on the fact that the Sun is considered a normal star, yet offers us many things such as light and heat. It is also our ultimate source of energy which allows the Earth to not only exist but to fully function in a most habitable manner. Without it, our planet would be nothing more than an uninhabitable frozen rock. Located close to us, we have learned to study the Sun over the years to better understand many other stars, the Milky Way, other galaxies, and the universe. Considered a huge anchor which provides the gravity to keep Earth and other planets in our solar system together, the Sun is our “glue” which holds us together.
CLIMATE CHANGE:
On July 18, 2008, ScienceDaily.com (Change, 2008) stated that an announcement was made by Manuel Vzquez-a researcher from the Canary Islands’ Astrophysics Institute in Madrid, Spain-at the Sun and Climate Change conference regarding the fact that solar activity is responsible for approximately 15-20% of global warming. During the conference, Vzquez stated there was evidence that demonstrated after the last glacier era, during the past 10,000 years, and before the beginning of any industrial activity-the Sun’s magnetic energy successfully regulated most variations of the Earth’s climates on its own. Information at the conference shows that over the past 40 years of solar activity, it has not increased- remaining constant or diminished, making it extremely difficult to “attribute a single global warming effect to it, “the cause of which needs to be looked for in human activities.”
Manuel Vzquez made a slightly controversial statement at the conference which represented the entire global warming agenda: “If man had never started burning fossil fuels, the sun might have been the only agent regulating the climate until the next glaciation. However, back in the 19th century we started an experiment which we are now beginning to suffer the consequences of”, explained the astrophysicist Manuel Vzquez to SINC.
TERMINATION SHOCK:
Data arriving from the NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft have allowed scientists to recognize a change in the the magnetic bubble of solar wind surrounding our solar system, with the recent findings published in a series of papers in “Nature” on July 3. What was obseved was a squashed shape instead of a regular round shape that was made by the solar wind. These are great findings as they demonstrate how our Sun interacts with the surrounding interstellar medium through an elongated-spherical shape, but one that is pressed inward in the southern hemisphere.
The termination shock is referred to as the beginning stages of an area between the solar wind bubble of the heliosphere and the remaining aspect of interstellar space referred to as the “termination shock.” When it was noticed that the Voyager 2 crossed this boundary much closer than expected to the Sun, it was suggested this region’s heliosphere was being pushed inward by its interstellar magetic field-closer to the sun.
REFERENCES:
“Change, Researcher Says”. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 12, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/07/080717224333.htm
“Voyager Squashes View Of Solar System”. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 12, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/07/080703125429.htm
