This article explores the Sun, its structure, and its impact on Earth. It delves into the solar cycle, explaining the phases of solar maximum and solar minimum, and the phenomenon of sunspots.
The Sun is the star of our solar system . Its gravity holds Earth and our planetary neighbors in its orbit. At 865,000 miles (1.4 million km) in diameter, it’s the largest object in our solar system . On Earth, its influence is felt in our weather, seasons, climate, and more. Let’s learn about our dynamic star and its connections to life on Earth.The Sun is a yellow dwarf star. It is approximately 4.5 billion years old and is in its “main sequence” phase.
This means it is partway through its lifecycle with a few billion more years ahead of it. The Sun is made of hydrogen and helium gases. At its core, hydrogen is fused to form helium. This nuclear reaction creates the Sun’s heat and light. That energy moves outward through the Sun’s radiative zone and convective zone. It then reaches the Sun’s visible surface and lower atmosphere, called the photosphere. Above the photosphere lies the chromosphere, which forms the Sun’s middle atmosphere, and beyond that is the corona, the Sun’s outermost atmosphere.What is the solar cycle? The Sun goes through a pattern of magnetic activity known as the solar cycle. During each cycle, the Sun experiences a very active period called “solar maximum” and a less active period called “solar minimum.” During solar maximum, increased magnetic activity creates sunspots. These appear as darker, cooler spots on the Sun’s surface. The more sunspots we can see, the more active the Sun is. The solar cycle begins at solar minimum, peaks at solar maximum, and then returns to solar minimum. This cycle is driven by the Sun’s magnetic polarity, which flips – north becomes south, and vice versa – every 11 years. It takes two cycles – or 22 years – to complete the full magnetic cycle where the poles return to their original positions. The Sun’s level of magnetic activity changes throughout its 11-year solar cycl
SUN SOLAR SYSTEM SOLAR CYCLE MAGNETIC ACTIVITY SUNSPOTS
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