Sunspots

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Sunspots
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What so we know about the Sun?

• Core the center of the sun
• Radiation Zone- The layer surrounding the core.
  The core radiates heat into this layer.
• Convection Zone- The layer where the convection
  heat cycle occurs.
• Convection- a current driven by the rising of hot
  gas and the falling of cool gas.
• Photosphere- the Suns visible outer layer

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What about the Chromosphere and the Corona?

• literally, "color sphere
• The thin layer of the Sun's atmosphere just above
  the photosphere.
• The name comes from the fact that it has a
  reddish color

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The Corona

• The corona is like the Earths Ozone layer.
• It is the haze of gas around the sun and is best
  visible during an eclipse.

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What is a Sunspot?

• A sunspot is an area of the Suns surface that is
  cooler and darker than the areas around it.
• Sunspots can be different sizes and occur in
  different places.

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What do they look like?

• A sunspot is made of an Umbra and a Penumbra.
• Umbra- The dark center area of the spot
• Penumbra- The lighter grey area surrounding the
  umbra.

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Umbra
Penumbra
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What Causes Sunspots?

• Well, we dont really know it allbut we have
  theories!?
• Scientists believe that sunspots are formed by
  the convection happening in the center layers of
  the Sun.
• Convection magnetic fields, which can sometime
  keep the hot gases from rising to the surface for
  a time cooler surface spots sunspots!

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The Sunspot Cycle!

• Like everything else, scientists observe the
  sunspots over long periods of time, looking for
  patterns and ways to predict sunspots, and.
• There is a cycle!! It is an 11 year cycle
• Sunspot minimum- quiet sun there are little to
  no sunspots
• Sunspot Maximum- active sun can reach up to
  100 sunspots

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Why do we track sunspots?

• Changes in a sunspots location tells us about the
  rotation of the sun.
• Rotation- the turning of a planet, moon, or star.

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Tracking Sunspots