Solar neutrinos are elementary particles produced in enormous numbers by the nuclear reactions that power the Sun. In the core, hydrogen nuclei fuse into helium through chains of reactions and several of the steps release neutrinos. Because they interact only via the weak nuclear force and gravity, they stream outward almost completely unhindered, carrying direct…
1. What we usually mean by “flames”On Earth, flames are produced by chemical combustion. This requires three things : a fuel (like wood or gas), oxygen (or another oxidizer) and a chemical reaction that releases heat and light. The dancing shape of a flame comes from hot gases rising and mixing with surrounding air. 2….
Atmospheric turbulence and seeingAstronomical “seeing” describes how steady or distorted celestial objects appear when observed through a telescope. The main factor limiting seeing is turbulence in Earth’s atmosphere. When air layers of different temperatures mix, they bend (refract) incoming starlight unevenly. This causes stars to shimmer and fine details on planets to blur even when…
1. Longer Nights:February is still part of winter in the Northern Hemisphere which means nights are relatively long compared to other months. The extended hours of darkness allow for more time to observe the stars, making it easier to see fainter stars and constellations that are otherwise harder to spot during shorter nights in summer….
The Sun’s Magnetic Field – The FoundationThe Sun is not just a ball of glowing gas. It is a vast electrically charged plasma. Because charged particles are constantly moving inside it, the Sun naturally generates a powerful magnetic field. This field extends far beyond the Sun itself shaping solar behavior and influencing the entire solar…
Moonquakes are seismic vibrations that occur on the Moon similar to earthquakes on Earth but caused by very different processes. For a long time, scientists believed the Moon was completely geologically dead. However, data from seismometers left by Apollo astronauts revealed that the Moon still experiences internal activity proving it is not entirely inactive. One…
The Sun’s Apparent Color The Sun emits light across the visible spectrum which when combined appears white. However, the color we perceive depends not just on the Sun itself but on how its light interacts with Earth’s atmosphere. This is why the Sun can appear red, orange, yellow or white depending on its position in…
Scaling the Sun to a doorIf we imagine the Sun shrunk down to the size of a typical door about 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall we’re creating a scale model to help understand astronomical distances. The real Sun is about 1.39 million kilometers in diameter so this scale dramatically compresses the solar system while keeping…
Solar energy begins its journey deep in the Sun’s core where nuclear fusion occurs. Under extreme temperature and pressure, hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium releasing enormous amounts of energy in the form of gamma-ray photons. This process converts a small amount of mass into energy according to Einstein’s equation E = mc^2 , making…
Sunspots and Their AppearanceSunspots are dark, cooler regions that appear on the surface of the Sun specifically on the photosphere. They look dark only in contrast to the surrounding areas which are much hotter and brighter. A typical sunspot has a central dark region called the umbra surrounded by a lighter, filament-like area known as…
