The Sun

Question 1

What is the diameter of the Sun?

Answer 1

1.4 million km

Question 2

What is the distance of the Sun from Earth?

Answer 2

150 million km

Question 3

What is the temperature of the Sun’s photosphere (surface)?

Answer 3

5800K

Question 4

What are the different parts of the solar atmosphere?

Answer 4

The chromosphere and the corona.

Question 5

What is the approximate temperature of the corona?

Answer 5

2 million K

Question 6

What is the Sun’s energy generated by?

Answer 6

Nuclear fusion reactions at the Suns core, converting hydrogen into helium.

Question 7

What is the Suns rotational period at the equator? What is it at the Pole?

Answer 7

Equator - 25 days

Pole - 36 days

Question 8

How do astronomers observe the Sun at at the H-Alpha wavelength?

Answer 8

Using an H-Alpha filter and observing emission spectra of hydrogen.

Question 9

What are the different parts of sunspots?

Answer 9

Umbra (the centre) and penumbra (the outer part of the spots)

Question 10

About how large are sunspots?

Answer 10

About 10,000 km across.

Question 11

Outline some aspects of sunspots.

Answer 11

• Cooler regions
• Last 2-4 weeks
• Come in pairs
• Have strong magnetic fields

Question 12

What is the butterfly diagram?

Answer 12

A diagram which shows the long-term latitude drift of sun spots, and can be used to determine the length of the solar cycle.

Question 13

What is the solar wind?

Answer 13

A continuous stream of protons and electrons from the surface of the sun.

Question 14

What three things can sun spots cause?

Answer 14

• Prominences
• Solar Flares
• Coronal Mass Ejections (CME)