Sun

Annie Maunder

Annie Maunder
Credit: Courtesy of Dorrie Giles / RAS

Occupation: Mathematician, Astronomer

Year born: 1868

Research Areas: The Sun, Sunspots, Magnetic Storms

Wedi’i anelu at ddisgyblion 7-11 oed, mae’r gweithgaredd hwn yn rhoi cyfle ymarferol i'r disgyblion i ddysgu am y dydd a’r nos. Gan ddefnyddio pêl o play-doh a thortsh, bydd y disgyblion yn darganfod sut mae cylchdro'r Ddaear yn achosi’r dydd a’r nos.

Solar Flares

Solar flares are sudden variations in the brightness of a surface region of the Sun. Magnetic energy builds up in the solar atmosphere, above active regions, where sunspots are located. This magnetic energy is suddenly released as radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

Sunspots

The visible surface of the Sun is called the photosphere. Sunspots are darker, cooler regions on the bright, hot photosphere. Whilst the photosphere has a temperature of around 6000°C, sunspots are between 3000°C and 4000°C.

The Sun

The Sun is average star, but without its energy we would not exist.

The Sun

Solar Activity — Sun animation
Credit:SOHO

The Sun is average star, but without its energy we would not exist.

Solar Eclipse Animation

The animation below demonstrates a Total and Partial Solar eclipse. Notice how the sky gets darker as the Moon slowly passes across the face of the Sun, and that it gets much darker during a total eclipse than during a partial one.

Lunar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse

An eclipse of the Sun, or Solar Eclipse, occurs when the Moon comes directly between the Sun and the Earth so that the Earth lies in the shadow of the Moon.

Daytime Shadows

The animation below shows how shadows change during the day in the northern hemisphere. Shadows are created when an object, such as the stick below, blocks out some of the Sun's light. The length of the resulting shadow depends on how low or high the Sun is in the sky.