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GCSE Astronomy > Tpoic 10: Solar Astronomy > Flashcards

Tpoic 10: Solar Astronomy Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a finderscope?

A

A finderscope is an auxillary telescope mounted on the main telescope along the same line of sight.

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2
Q

What safety precautions should be taken with regards to the finderscope during telescopic projection?

A

The finderscope should be removed or covered when observing the sun.

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3
Q

Why are finderscopes useful?

A

A finderscope has a smaller magnification than the main telescope providing a much larger field of view; this is useful for manually aiming

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4
Q

Explain the method of telescopic projection for safely observing the sun.

A
  1. Put a piece of cardboard around the tube of the telescope.
  2. Put a piece of white cardboard behind the eye piece, this is where the image will be
    projected.
  3. To set up you need two people, one to hold the cardboard and the other to tell the person holding the cardboard where to move to, to centre the image.
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5
Q

Explain two safety precautions (other than removing the finderscope) you should take when observing the sun through telescopic projection.

A
  1. Don’t point the telescope at the sun for too long because parts could get hot and melt.
  2. Wear UV blocking sunglasses to prevent eye damage.
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6
Q

Name a type of filter used to safely observe the sun.

A

H-alpha filter

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7
Q

How is H-alpha light emitted from the sun?

A

This light is produced by electron in the hydrogen atoms in the sun dropping energy levels.

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8
Q

Explain where on the telescope a H-alpha filter should be placed and what checks should be made before using it.

A

The H-alpha filter is placed over the aperture of the telescope.
You should always check that there are no chips or scratches on the filter before use.

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9
Q

Which two parts of the sun is the H-alpha filter best for observing?

A
  1. the chromosphere
  2. solar prominences
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10
Q

What is the temperature at the core of the sun?

A

15 million Kelvin

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11
Q

Describe how energy is produced in the core of the sun and explain why the energy the sun produces takes place here.

A

The sun’s energy is produced via fusion in the sun’s core.

Fusion happens in the sun’s core due to the gravitational pressure and high temperature.

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12
Q

What is the scientific name given to the surface layer of the sun?

A

The photosphere

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13
Q

How is heat transmitted from the surface of the sun to the Earth?

A

Heat is transmitted from the surface of the sun to the Earth through radiation.

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14
Q

State the name given to a dark region on the surface of the sun.

A

Sunspot

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15
Q

How are sunspots formed and why do they appear darker?

A

The sun has a strong magnetic field and different parts of the sun rotate at different speeds.

This causes the magnetic field lines to ‘wind up’ and snap resulting in a temporary increase in magnetic field strength which in turn causes the convection currents in the convective zone to be weaker.

The sunspots therefore appear darker because they are radiating less energy and so are cooler than the surrounding area.

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16
Q

What is meant by the term ‘solar cycle’?

A

A solar cycle is a periodic eleven year change in the suns activity.

It is measured by the amount of observable sunspots.

Due to the magnetic field lines flipping every 11 years

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17
Q

There are two internal divisions of the sun between the core and photosphere, what names are given to these zones?

A
  1. The radiative zone
  2. the convection zone
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18
Q

How is energy transferred through the radiative zone and the convection zone?

A

In the radiative zone energy is transmitted via the random movement of gamma rays.

In the convective zone thermal energy is transported to the photosphere by rising convection currents of hot plasma.

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19
Q

Explain how sunspots can be used to measure the rotational period of the sun.

A
  1. Take two images of the sun a few days apart.
  2. Overlay the images with a transparency showing the suns lines of longitude and latitude.
  3. Identify the sunspot you will use in the calculation.
  4. Using the image taken on the first day, find the longitude of your sunspot; do the same with on the second image taken a few days later.
  5. Find the difference in the longitude between the two images.
  6. Use the following equation to calculate the rotational period

rotational period = (360 ÷ change in longitude) x change in days

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20
Q

What is the solar wind made of?

A

Solar wind is mainly made of ionized hydrogen as well as electrons, helium, plasma and traces of heavier ions e.g. carbon & neon.

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21
Q

What is a coronal mass ejection?

A

A coronal mass ejection is a violent release of matter from the corona of the sun. They usually follow solar flares.

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22
Q

What causes the aurorae?

A

When the solar wind comes into contact with the Earth’s magnetosphere, the charged solar wind particles follow the magnetic field lines to the poles, which is where the magnetic field lines are strongest. When the solar wind particles then come into contact with the atmosphere the interact with the molecules already there, electrons jump in energy levels and then jump back down emitting the characteristic lights of the aurorae.

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23
Q

What is radiation pressure?

A

Radiation pressure is a mechanical pressure exerted by photons striking a surface.

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24
Q

Draw a labelled diagram of a comet approaching the sun, passing the sun, and moving away from the sun.

A
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25
Q

Describe what is meant by ‘Earth’s magnetosphere’ and explain how it is formed.

A

The magnetosphere is the region of space surrounding Earth where the dominant magnetic field is the magnetic field of the Earth. It is formed by the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth’s magnetic field.

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26
Q

What is a geomagnetic storm?

A

A geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance of the Earth’s magnetosphere caused by a solar wind shock wave or a cloud of magnetic field that interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field.

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27
Q

What effect does the solar wind have on aircraft and their passengers?

A

Radiation damage to the aircraft and radiation exposure for the passengers.

28
Q

What effect does the solar wind have on astronauts?

A

Exposure to solar wind could result in cataracts, skin cancer or radiation poisoning.

29
Q

What are the Van-Allen belts?

A

The Van-Allen belts are two doughnut shaped zones of highly energetic charged particles trapped at high altitudes in the Earth’s magnetic field.

30
Q

Draw a diagram of the Van-Allen belts.

A
31
Q

What is the most abundant particle in the inner Van-Allen belt?

How does that particle get there?

A

Protons

Protons originate from the decay of neutrons produced by high energy cosmic rays from outside the solar system collide with atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere.

32
Q

Over what part of the Earth are the Van-Allen belts the most intense?

A

The equator

33
Q

Why is radiation most intense at the Equator?

A

The radiation is most intense around the Equator due to the fact that the Van-Allen belt particles move in spiral paths alone the lines of Earth’s magnetic field. With the particles constantly moving along the Earth’s magnetic field lines the majority of the particles at any one time appear around the Equator.

34
Q

Name the 3 main components of the outer Van-Allen belt.

A
  1. Low energy protons
  2. high energy electrons
  3. helium plasma from the solar wind
35
Q

Describe how energy is produced in the core of the sun and explain why the energy the sun produces takes place here.

A
  1. fusion takes place between 4 hydrogen atoms (protons)
  2. 2 of the protons turn into neutrons and energy in the form of gamma rays is released
  3. produced in the core because it has the highest temperature and pressure
36
Q

Describe what is meant by the proton-proton cycle.

A
  1. two protons fuse together to make deuterium
  2. one of the protons turns into a neutron
  3. energy is released
  4. fuse with another proton to form helium-3 releasing more energy
  5. fuse with another helium-3 forming helium-2 and 2 protons and energy
  6. and repeat!
37
Q

What is meant by a solar prominence?

A
  1. a loop of plasma
  2. extended from the photosphere into the corona
  3. caused by fluctuations in magnetic field of sun
38
Q

Discuss the best method for observing solar prominences, include safety measures and how to set up observations.

A
  1. Use a h-alpha filter
  2. place filter on telescope objective
  3. make sure there are no chips or scratches on the filter
  4. make sure finderscope is covered or removed
39
Q

Where do short and long period comets originate?

A

Short period comets originate in the Kupier belt

Long period comets originate in the Oort Cloud

40
Q

Discuss 2 key differences between the gas tail and dust tail of a comet.

A
  1. gas tails point straight away from the sun
  2. gas tails caused by solar wind carrying magnetic field
  3. dust tails curve away from the axis of orbit
  4. dust tails caused by radiation pressure pushing dust from coma
41
Q

What is meant by the term ‘the solar wind’?

A
  1. stream of charged particles/plasma
  2. follow magnetic field lines of the sun, extends radially outwards
  3. coming through the photosphere, through the corona and out into space
  4. due to heat of sun being so intense gravity is not strong enough to hold onto the particles
42
Q

Describe what an Earth bound observer would when the solar wind interacts with the Earths atmosphere.

A
  1. aurorae
  2. streaming curtains of light across the sky near the poles
43
Q

State and explain 2 risks the solar wind poses.

A
  1. increased radiation exposure to flight crew and passengers = increased incidence of cancer
  2. when the solar wind interacts with the atmosphere it heats the atmosphere causing it to expand which means satellites with orbits lower than 1000km are more likely to run into air and lose energy = lowered satellite orbits
  3. BONUS: when the solar winds are high during a solar storm, it compresses the Earth’s magnetosphere and can cause energetic particles to be accelerated during magnetic re-connection events. These particles can produce secondary radiation in the spacecraft skin which can lead to increased radiation exposure for the astronauts
44
Q

Draw and label a sketch of a typical sunspot.

A
45
Q

What effect does an H-filter have on most the solar radiation and why this makes it possible to observe the Sun safely?

A

The filter absorbs all but a narrow wavelength of light from the Sun.

The intensity of the solar radiation passing through the telescope is reduced making it safer.

46
Q

What is the temperature of the Sun’s photosphere?

A

5800 Kelvin

47
Q

What is the typical temperature of a sunspot’s umbra?

A

3800 Kelvin

48
Q

What is the typical temperature of a sunspot’s preumbra?

A

5600 Kelvin

49
Q

Does the sun rotate faster at its equator or its poles?

A

equator

50
Q

The sun rotates once every 30 days at its poles.

How long does it take for the Sun to rotate through an angle of 120 o at its poles?

A

10 days

(360/120) = 3

30/3 = 10

51
Q

Explain whether the Sun would rotate through a greater or smaller angle the 120o in the same interval of time at a solar latitude of 60o N.

A

60oN is closer to the Sun’s equator therefore the Sun will rotate faster at this latitude than at the poles.

So in the same interval of time, the Sun will rotate through a greater angle than 120o.

52
Q

Which part of the Sun’s interior is hottest?

A

core

53
Q

Which region of the Sun lies directly above the convective zone?

A

photosphere

54
Q

In which part of the Sun’s interior do thermonuclear reactions occur?

A

The core

55
Q

In order for thermonuclear fusion reactions to occur, the temperature must be high enough.

Explain the reason for this

A

The proton taking part in fusion have similar positive electric charges that mutually repel each other. The protons must be travelling fast enough to overcome this repulsion. In order to have enough kinetic energy to overcome those repulsion forces the temperature must be very high.

56
Q

Draw and label a diagram of the internal divisions of the Sun.

A
57
Q

In which region of the Sun is energy transferred by cyclic motion of hot gas?

A

convective zone

58
Q

What is the name of the principle nuclear fusion process in the Sun?

A

proton-proton cycle

59
Q

Which formula shows the equivalence of mass and energy in thermonuclear reactions?

A

E=mc2

60
Q

From which part of the Sun does the ‘slow’ solar wind originate?

A

the corona

61
Q

What is the main component of the outer Van Allen belt?

A

electrons

62
Q

What is the main component of the inner Van Allen belt?

A

protons

63
Q

Name 2 ‘events’ likely to cause gusts in the fast solar wind

A
  1. solar flares
  2. coronal mass ejections
64
Q

The Earth’s magnetic field is caused by the motion of charged particles (electric currents) in which of it’s major divisions?

A

outer core

65
Q

Draw and label a diagram of a comet

A

GCSE Astronomy (3 decks)

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