Tag: sun

Biggest EMP in 10 ka

Today, such a superflare would be civilization-ending.

In the year 774 AD, an enormously powerful blast of matter and energy from space slammed into Earth. Nothing like it had been felt on this planet for 10 ka. A mix of high-energy light and hugely accelerated subatomic particles, when this wave impacted Earth it changed our atmospheric chemistry enough to be measured centuries later. Such an event happening today would be catastrophic. It could take out numerous satellites — the particles and high-energy radiation can short out even hardened electronics — and cause widespread blackouts. Those could take a long time to fix, since the bigger transformers used by power grids cannot be mass-produced.

2022-01-29: An even bigger EMP happened in 9125 BP. It was 2x bigger than the 774 AD one.

Solar shield

A shield to get within 10000km of the Sun

A NASA NIAC study is developing the technology to get within 0.5 solar radii of the sun. The goal is to scatter 99.9% of the solar radiation. A solar radius is 700K kilometers. They want to get to 0 to 10K kilometers away from the surface of the sun.

In 2018 the Parker Solar Probe launched, planning to approach the Sun to within 8.5 solar radii of its surface. This is 7x closer than any previous mission, allowing first-time particle, radiation, and magnetic field measurements of the Sun’s corona.

Parker Solar Probe

The first spacecraft to fly into the sun’s atmosphere will also be the fastest human-made vehicle ever, at 195 km / s.

2019-07-29: There’s a related experiment that simulates the solar magnetic field in a lab:

The twisting loops of the sun’s magnetic field control the flow of charged particles throughout the solar system. For the first time, researchers have created a scale model of this mysterious environment. “Because they’re a lab experiment, they can change some of their parameters, right?. And we can’t. The sun does what it’s going to do.” As the Parker Solar Probe circles the sun over the next few years, it will pass through the corona and collect data that researchers can compare to the laboratory results. “Stuff that they’re seeing, if it’s real, we should see it.”

2021-12-15: This has now happened.

The first passage through the corona, which lasted only a few hours, is one of many planned for the mission. Parker will continue to spiral closer to the Sun, eventually reaching as close as 8.86 solar radii from the surface. Upcoming flybys, the next of which is happening in January 2022, will likely bring Parker Solar Probe through the corona again.

Space shuttle


A most amazing picture. Consider the distances involved. The space shuttle is about the relative size of Earth.
2012-04-27:

2012-10-13: Amazing swan song of the Space Shuttle program: you cost so much yet achieved so little.

A Space Shuttle on the Streets of Los Angeles The space shuttle Endeavour is on its last mission today, a 20 km creep through Los Angeles city streets on a 160-wheeled carrier. It is passing through neighborhoods and strip malls, headed toward its final destination, the California Science Center in South Los Angeles. At times, the shuttle has barely cleared trees, houses and street signs along a course heavily prepared for the trip. The move will cost an estimated $10m.

The Sun

The Sun is now in the quietest phase of its 11-year activity cycle, the solar minimum – in fact, it has been unusually quiet this year – with over 200 days so far with no observed sunspots. The solar wind has also dropped to its lowest levels in 50 years. Scientists are unsure of the significance of this unusual calm, but are continually monitoring our closest star with an array of telescopes and satellites. Seen below are some recent images of the Sun in more active times.