Solar Activity
The output of the Sun in all forms, light, solar wind, and energetic particles, is not constant. It varies with both time (seconds to centuries!) and position on the Sun. These changes are called solar activity and are probably reflections of changes below the Sun's surface. Scientists can study the output and how it varies to probe the workings of the Sun.
The Sun's energy output takes two main forms: electromagnetic radiation and the emission of charged particles. The charged particles that carry a portion of the Sun's energy include both the relatively low-energy plasma of the solar wind and high-energy particles which have been accelerated to velocities near the speed of light. Solar activity produces space weather that affects Earth.
Types of solar activity include:
Sunspots
Even more about solar activity:Solar Activity in the News:
July 2, 2009: AGU
journal highlights -- #9 -- Eurekalert
May 31, 2009: A solar prominence from SOHO -- APOD April 25, 2009: Space missions to visit the Sun -- UK Telegraph March 15, 2009: A prominent solar prominence from SOHO -- APOD January 23, 2009: NASA sees the 'dark side' of the Sun -- Science@NASA January 7, 2009: Danger ahead as the Sun goes quiet -- New Scientist December 25, 2008: Solar mission launch starts busy year for Russia's space agency -- RIA Novosti November 2, 2008: Spicules: Jets on the Sun -- APOD October 4, 2008: A solar prominence unfurls -- APOD September 24, 2008: Active Region 1002 on an unusually quiet Sun -- APOD June 5, 2008: Sun's corona puts a twist on its pitches -- Sky & Telescope June 3, 2008: Giant "tornadoes" seen erupting from the sun -- National Geographic June 1, 2008: A twisted solar eruptive prominence -- APOD February 6, 2008: A sunspot in the new solar cycle -- APOD January 2, 2008: Third instrument for NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory arrviese at Goddard -- NASA GSFC November 28, 2007: UNH scientists report first findings on key astrophysics problem -- Eurekalert May 30, 2007: News from your favorite star -- Astronomy.com April 27, 2007: NOAA announces next solar storm cycle will likely start next March -- EurekAlert! April 25, 2007: The quest to predict the next space "hurricane" season -- NASA GSFC March 22, 2007: Hinode studies the Sun -- Astronomy.com March 21, 2007: Solar activity won't break drought -- Australian Broadcasting Company February 19, 2007: Surprises from the Sun's south pole -- European Space Agency February 6, 2007: Sun storm: a coronal mass ejection -- NASA GSFC APOD January 25, 2007: Twin spacecraft swing past Moon to prepare for 3-D solar studies -- SpaceDaily January 4, 2007: 1000th orbit for the Cluster mission -- SpaceDaily Click on images above to
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Last modified: July 9, 2009
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