Learn about the awesome power of the sun, its solar radiation and how this can be used to power solar panels for your home.
Learn about the sun
Did you Know: Our Sun' is also known as a Photo-sphere. Photo means light and Photon's are the particles emitted, then hit and power our solar panels. Solar panels use radiating solar energy to charge a chemical process within the cells to produce electricity. In addition, you can heat up water to typical temperatures of 85 degrees C even in the United Kingdom.
The Interior - The Sun's Inward regions
The Photosphere - The visible surface of the sun
The Chromo sphere - The solar atmosphere
The Transition Region - The point at which solar particles leave the
sun
The Corona - The aurora of the Sun's surface
The Solar Wind - The ejected solar particles
The Heliosphere - The full reach of the solar wind
The Sun is a giant ball of Hydrogen and helium gas, mixed together creating a nuclear fusion reaction that has been burning for around 4.6 billion years. This has bombarded our solar system and ultimately the Earth with the solar wind, which is captured and used by life on earth.
Our Sun is just a ball of gas with a diameter of 1,392,000,000 Km, which in galactic terms is a very conservative measurement. Nuclear fusion powers each and every sun. This process is hydrogen converted into helium, with a consequence being "Photo" light ejected into space. Within the emitted light are x-rays, ultraviolet radiation and radio waves, which put together produce the warmth all life is so dependent.
Quick facts
- Our sun is classed as a medium-sized yellow dwarf.
- The sun is 93,000,000 miles away from the surface of the Earth.
- The sun’s life expectancy is at least another 5 billion years before ballooning into a red giant and thus consuming the inner rocky planets.
- Sunlight or rather photon particles travel at 186,282 miles per second.
- The sun produces various wave lengths of light which can be seen in a rainbow.
- Sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach us.
- The sun produces enough power each year to supply us every 15 minutes.
- The sun is made up of hydrogen and helium gases. More exotic elements such as metallic’s created upon its death called a super nova explosion.
What is the solar wind made of?
The solar winds are streams of energy packed particles ejected by the sun's corona. These particles are made up of electrons and photons, along with alpha particles containing atomic nuclei such as helium and heavy ions of carbon, oxygen, neon and metallic's like magnesium. Experiments by solar powered satellites which catch particles in the solar wind have detected tiny amounts of potassium, titanium and nickel too. The solar wind is far more exotic than we ever imagined.
Solar energy for the Earth
The sun's energy as a major supply for our civilisations energy source is becoming a more and more urgent task. Solar technologies are already in place, but a major change in governmental and social attitudes towards these technologies are only recently beginning to change.
Measurements done over the South Pole have shown stronger radiation levels at the poles than the equator, which is why we see the northern lights (aurora borealis). The solar wind is a constant flow of photo radiation and has allowed the earth to flourish through photosynthesis by plants. Variations in the solar wind are caused by solar weather, which is as varied as our own atmospheric, weather systems.
The northern lights have inspired poetry and art within civilisation. There's
no evidential link, but some people claim that even the 1960's cultural boom,
the length of mini-skirts and even the performance of stocks and shares are
affected by sun' spots on the sun.
The solar radiation map for the UK and Europe. As you can see, the UK gets high levels of solar radiation, which can be used for domestic energy.
Putting solar energy to use
The sun's outer shroud contains most of the sun's matter just like the Earth's atmosphere, the solar winds constant emissions of particles and solar energy can be captured and used with solar panels.
With PV solar electric panels, a chemical reaction occurs within the solar cells causing an electric current to be produced.
In contrast, solar heating panels are another way of gathering solar radiation to heat water. Both solar panel types are an effective way of putting the sun's energy to use.
Solar panel technology for the United Kingdom >>Inside the sun
Solar weather takes place within the outer magnetic field were sun spot's form. The hot corona causes solar flares which in turn, cause's the solar wind to travel through space towards the outer solar system. The supply of nuclear fusion within the sun will last for 10 billion years (give or take a billion).
Solar weather takes place within the outer magnetic field were sun spot's form. The hot corona causes solar flares which in turn, cause's the solar wind to travel through space towards the outer solar system. The supply of nuclear fusion within the sun will last for 10 billion years (give or take a billion).
The solar wind ejected from the sun, 55% of solar particles penetrate the earths atmosphere.
Solar particles reach the Earth within 8 minutes of leaving the sun's surface. A reliable and constant source of energy rains down on the Earth every day.
The sun's fusion cycle, begins with neutrons particles which are created at the centre of the central ball. These particles will be ejected without resistance to the sun's atmosphere and will continue outward into deep space when ejected by mass ejection solar flares, or bombarding objects like our Earth.
Particles actually reach the Earth within 8 minutes from leaving the sun's surface.
sun' spots have been connected to coronal mass ejections events and can be
seen with the naked eye using protection with a filtering glass. You see a
round disk, which is less bright at the edges, than the middle.
The sun's structure and core
The sun's interior is segmented into four levels. Energy is generated within the core whilst the innermost diffuses mostly gamma-rays and x-rays through the radioactive zone by convection. Fluid flows are boiled through to the outermost layers and the thin interface layer also known as the Tachocline, is where the sun's magnetic field is thought to be generated.
The temperature at the very centre of the Sun's core is around 15,000,000° C (27,000,000 ° F) and the density is about 150 g/cm³ which are 10 times the density of gold or lead. Both temperature and density decrease as one moves outwards towards the outer layers of the sun.
Solar cycles and climate change
People say, over the last century, the number of sun' spots has risen at
the same time that the Earth's climate became steadily warmer. Looking at
isotopes of Beryllium concentrations from ice cores around the world, the
strength of the solar wind and the amount of Beryllium in the ice at different
times in the past can be used to determine the state of the Sun and, roughly,
the number of sun' spots.
Over the last century, the number of sun' spots has remained roughly constant,
and the average temperature of the Earth has continued to increase. There
is no doubt scientifically that it is down to man-made activities causing
a greenhouse effect caused by the combustion of fossil fuels.
Quick facts about the sun and solar energy
Four hydrogen atoms fuse to make one helium atom. The loss of atomic matter (photons) is flung into space and hits the earth providing light and heat. Many by-gone civilizations worshiped the sun including the Aztecs, Mayans, Native Americans and Egyptians.
How quick does the Sun rotate?
The Sun rotates on an axis of once every 27 days. The Sun's rotation was detected by observing the motion of sun'spots in the photosphere region. The rotation axis is tilted by 7.50 degrees compared to the axis of the Earth, so we can see more of the Sun's North Pole regions in September and more of the South Pole regions in March.
Does the Sun make a noise as it burns?
The sun does not emit noises like a fire crackles but, it does not burn either. The heat and the light produced comes from nuclear fusion reactions millions of times more energetic than chemical combustion. The surface turbulence of the sun does make sound, in the sense of rhythmic changes in the density and surface disturbances of the sun.
Academically known as acoustical waves, these typically have a frequency of around 0.005 Hertz, and take over 3 minutes to complete a cycle. If we could somehow arrange to listen in directly, the roar of the sun's nuclear furnace would be far too low a frequency for human hearing. The lowest frequency we can hear is 20hz.
Tell me about binary star systems
Around a quarter, of stars we see exist as binary systems. Only one planet has yet been found in such a binary star system, but it is possible to calculate theoretical, planetary range of such a system. When the stars gravitate closer, the orbits distort, and their planets flung off into deep space.
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