5 min read NASA, ESA Missions Help Scientists Uncover How Solar Wind Gets Energy Since the 1960s, astronomers have wondered how the Sun’s supersonic “solar wind,” a stream of energetic particles that flows out into the solar system, continues to receive energy once it leaves the Sun. Now, thanks to a lucky lineup of a […]
Tag: The Sun
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NASA’s ICON Mission Ends with Several Ionospheric Breakthroughs
ICON, shown in this artist’s concept, studied the frontiers of space, the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. NASA/Goddard/Conceptual Image Lab NASA’s ICON mission studied the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere called the ionosphere. ICON provided critical insights into interplay between space weather and Earth’s weather. […]
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Celebrate the Heliophysics Big Year with Free Heliophysics and Math Webinars from NASA HEAT
2 min read Celebrate the Heliophysics Big Year with Free Heliophysics and Math Webinars from NASA HEAT The Heliophysics Big Year (HBY) is a global celebration of the Sun’s influence on Earth and the entire solar system. It began with the Annular Solar Eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023, continued through the Total Solar Eclipse on […]
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Alphabet Soup: NASA’s GOLD Finds Surprising C, X Shapes in Atmosphere
5 min read Alphabet Soup: NASA’s GOLD Finds Surprising C, X Shapes in Atmosphere Who knew Earth’s upper atmosphere was like alphabet soup? NASA’s Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission has revealed unexpected C- and X-shaped formations in an electrified layer of gas high above our heads called the ionosphere. While these […]
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NASA Observations Find What Helps Heat Roots of ‘Moss’ on Sun
3 min read NASA Observations Find What Helps Heat Roots of ‘Moss’ on Sun At the center of this image (left) from NASA’s High Resolution Coronal Imager sounding rocket is a small-scale, patchy structure on the Sun that solar physicists call “moss.” It forms low in the solar atmosphere around the center of sunspot groups […]
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How NASA’s Roman Telescope Will Measure Ages of Stars
Guessing your age might be a popular carnival game, but for astronomers it’s a real challenge to determine the ages of stars. Once a star like our Sun has settled into steady nuclear fusion, or the mature phase of its life, it changes little for billions of years. One exception to that rule is the […]
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Scientists Pursue the Total Solar Eclipse with NASA Jet Planes
5 min read Scientists Pursue the Total Solar Eclipse with NASA Jet Planes The April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse will produce stunning views across North America. While anyone along the eclipse path with a clear sky will see the spectacular event, the best view might be 50,000 feet in the air, aboard NASA’s WB-57 […]
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ESA, NASA Solar Observatory Discovers Its 5,000th Comet
4 min read ESA, NASA Solar Observatory Discovers Its 5,000th Comet On March 25, 2024, a citizen scientist in the Czech Republic spotted a comet in an image from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, which has now been confirmed to be the 5,000th comet discovered using SOHO data. SOHO has achieved this milestone […]
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Five Tips from NASA for Photographing a Total Solar Eclipse
4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A total solar eclipse creates stunning celestial views for people within the path of the Moon’s shadow. This astronomical event is a unique opportunity for scientists to study the Sun and its influence on Earth, but it’s also a perfect opportunity to capture unforgettable […]
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Sketch the Shape of the Sun for Science During the Solar Eclipse
5 min read Sketch the Shape of the Sun for Science During the Solar Eclipse Calling all eclipse admirers! The SunSketcher team is looking for one million volunteers to capture photos on their cell phones during the April 8 total solar eclipse. These images will help scientists learn about the size, shape, and inner structure […]