DISC-ussion
edited by Ann Ulrich Miller
© 2012 (all rights reserved)
An article from the February 2012 issue of
THE STAR BEACON.
‘Second sun’ on its way
The following article is from The Telegraph, dated Jan. 22, 2011.
The Earth could find itself with a ‘second sun’ for a period of weeks later this
year (2011) when one of the night sky’s most luminous stars explodes, scientists
have claimed. The supernova could provide the biggest light show since Earth was
formed, and will be so bright that night will become like day for one or two
weeks, experts said.
Betelgeuse, which is part of the Orion constellation 640 light-years away from
Earth, is a red supergiant, meaning that it is nearing the end of its life and
is due to explode.
When it does, it will burn so brightly that the earth will appear to have two
suns in the sky, the Daily Mail reported.
What is less certain is when it will explode. Brad Carter, senior lecturer of
physics at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, said the
explosion could take place before the end of the year—or indeed at any point
over the next million years.
Some sun facts
(from http://www.nasa.gov)
What is a solar flare?
A solar flare is an intense burst of radiation coming from the release of
magnetic energy associated with sunspots. Flares are our solar system’s largest
explosive events. They are seen as bright areas on the sun and they can last
from minutes to hours. We typically see a solar flare by the photons (or light)
it releases, at most every wavelength of the spectrum. The primary ways we
monitor flares are in x-rays and optical light. Flares are also sites where
particles (electrons, protons, and heavier particles) are accelerated.
What is a coronal mass ejection (CME)?
The outer solar atmosphere, the corona, is structured by strong magnetic fields.
Where these fields are closed, often above sunspot groups, the confined solar
atmosphere can suddenly and violently release bubbles of gas and magnetic fields
called coronal mass ejections. A large CME can contain a billion tons of matter
that can be accelerated to several million miles per hour in a spectacular
explosion. Solar material streams out through the interplanetary medium,
impacting any planet or spacecraft in its path. CMEs are sometimes associated
with flares but can occur independently.
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