The Sun Flashcards
Demonstrate an understanding of how the Sun can be observed safely by amateur astronomers.
Amateur astronomers can safely observe the Sun by using pinhole cameras and welder’s glasses.
What is the Sun’s diameter?
1.4 million km
How far away from the Sun is the Earth?
150 million km
What is the temperature of the Sun’s atmosphere?
5800 k.
What is the temperature of the corona?
2 million k.
What is the Sun’s rotation period at the poles?
36 days.
What is the Sun’s rotation period at the equator?
25 days.
Demonstrate an understanding of how astronomers use observations of sunspots to determine the Sun‘s rotation period.
Astronomer use track the speed of the Sunspots moving across the sun to find the rotation period.
What does the Sun do to convert hydrogen into helium?
Nuclear fusion.
What is Nuclear fusion?
A nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of energy.
How do astronomers observe the Sun at different wavelengths?
The Sun emits light in frequencies across this spectrum. By using instruments that operate in these frequencies scientists can study the Sun and its behaviour.
What does the Sun look like in the H-alpha part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
Through H-alpha the Sun has a orange colour with a red hue.
What does the Sun look like in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
The Sun looks White with a slightly yellow tint.
What does the Sun look like in the x-ray part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
The Sun looks like a light green.
What is the structure of the solar wind?
The solar wind is a stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun. This plasma consists of mostly electrons, protons and alpha particles.
