Solar Flares and the Potential for Problems

C3-class Solar Flare Erupts on Sept. 8, 2010 [...

Image by NASA Goddard Photo and Video via Flickr

The next time you drop a call on your cell phone or experience problems with your GPS or satellite dish, consider that the culprit just might be solar flares.

In February 2011 Earth’s sun was quite active, launching three solar flares in succession. More of these flares are sure to follow: Scientists note that storms on the sun follows an 11-year cycle and last crested in 2002. This means that a peak is expected to be reached during the years 2012 and 2013.

What does this mean? No one is quite sure; many experts are quick to note that there is no reason to panic, but the potential for widespread disaster is clearly evident:

Power Outages

Solar flares are capable of overloading circuits and causing sporadic power outages. In 1989 Quebec was victim to a nine-hour blackout caused by solar flares.

Communication Interruptions

Electromagnetic storms can knock out satellites and cause communications systems such as pagers and cell phones to be rendered inoperable.

GPS Malfunctions

If satellites are knocked out, GPS receivers will be unable to lock onto signals and will not be functional. This would not only affect the millions of GPS users throughout the United States, but also air traffic.

Domino Effect

Scientists have issued warnings that everything from transportation to government to finance to food and water supplies could be affected as a result of the “domino effect” that could take place if the electric grid were to be compromised.

Fortunately, the Earth is well-protected from these solar storms by its atmosphere and magnetic fields; however, it never hurts to be prepared.

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Jupiter and the Spacecraft Galileo’s Legacy

Image of Io taken by the Galileo spacecraft

Image via Wikipedia

Without the spacecraft Galileo, we wouldn’t know nearly as much as we do about the planet Jupiter.

Launched in 1989, the unmanned spacecraft was tasked with probing and gathering data regarding Jupiter and its surrounding moons, of which there are 63 confirmed.

Named after famed astronomer Galileo Galilei, who discovered the four largest moons surrounding Jupiter, the spacecraft completed 35 orbits around Jupiter and provided scientists at NASA with a wealth of information.

Although Galileo’s mission was terminated in 2003, data analysis is still underway and new information is still being discovered.

Studying Galileo’s data has given us a much better understanding of Jupiter, the largest and one of the most fascinating of the planets that make up our solar system. Some of the more interesting and notable discoveries attributed to the spacecraft Galileo include the following:

  • Volcanic activity present on Jupiter’s moon Io is similar to volcanic activity found on our own planet (although there is a lot more of it on Io). This activity is a result of an ocean of magma located below the moon’s surface.
  • There may be oceans located beneath the layers of ice that make up the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa.
  • Jupiter is home to violent thunderstorms considerably larger than the ones we experience on Earth.

Galileo’s mission to Jupiter was ended in September of 2003 when scientists deliberately sent the spacecraft hurtling into Jupiter’s atmosphere, destroying it. This was done because Galileo was nearly out of the propellant needed to remain operational, and scientists at NASA were concerned that the spacecraft, if not intentionally destroyed, might accidentally cause damage to Jupiter’s moon Europa.

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Information on Observational Astronomy

Most people know that astronomy is the study of objects whose beginnings are from outside the earth’s atmosphere. Astronomy is one of the oldest natural sciences and acquires information by observing and collecting data about the formation and development of celestial bodies. The majority of information about space objects is retrieved from a type of astronomy labeled observational.

Observational astronomy is the study of viewing and scrutinizing bodies in space with astronomical equipment. This area of astronomy can be divided into subfields due to location on electromagnetic spectrum. Continue to read to view some of these fields in observational astronomy.

Radio Astronomy

A branch of astronomy that uses radio waves to study space. Karl Jansky made the first radio wave discovery in the 1930’s. Radio emissions have been found in stars and galaxies.

Infrared Astronomy

Infrared astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies objects viewable infrared radiation. William Herschel’s discovery of infrared light led to this branch of discovery in 1830’s.

Optical Astronomy

Visible Light or Optical is the oldest form of astronomy. This type of astronomy uses telescopes to observe and collect data.

Ultraviolet Astronomy

This subfield of astronomy uses ultraviolet wavelengths observed by earth’s atmosphere to record information. Ultraviolet astronomy is used for blue stars supernova remnants.

X-ray astronomy

X-ray wavelengths are used to study celestial bodies. High-altitude balloons and spacecrafts are used in X-ray astronomy.
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Observatories

The activity of viewing space happens in an observatory. Observatories are constructed for studying meteorology, geology and astronomy among other sciences. There are three main categories of observatories: ground -based, space- based and airborne.

Ground-based locations use radio telescopes and are positioned on Earth’s surface. They outnumber all other kinds of observatories.  Space-based types are launched into outer space and used in X-ray astronomy. Balloons or airplanes released with astronomical equipment are airborne observatories.

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Studying Astronomy

A diagram of a lunar eclipse

Image via Wikipedia

The study of Astronomy and/or Astrology is a very interesting course of study.  For the budding scientist it is a vast abyss, waiting to be observed and for new discoveries to be made every day.  There is just too much going on in the sky.  The desire to be a scientist, especially an astronomer, starts long before the college years.  Everyone knows a kid who just loved to be outside when the sky was clear, with a telescope facing the sky, waiting for the perfect angle to view the Big Dipper.  He will camp out to observe a lunar eclipse and if there is a once in our lifetime occurrence predicted to be in the sky, you won’t be able to keep him away. He is ready and waiting for days, just to get that glimpse.  He can see pictures in books, but nothing compares to watching it in person.

He is fascinated by what he sees when he looks in that telescope.  He is overwhelmed at how the sky comes alive night after night.  There is another world out there.  A world he dreams about becoming a part of, he longs to study it, get to know it, revel in it.  Maybe it is not a world of people driving cars around, rather an entire universe of burning glory in our sky every night.  Stars are moving, burning out, beginning again all over the galaxy all the time.  The study of their perfect dance night after night is a full time job, a career.  To make a career out of watching the perfect waltz, that synchronized dance that occurs in the sky each night, is the culmination of years of looking through that telescope, wishing on those stars.

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Naming A Star

They say there are millions of stars, millions upon billions of stars in the sky.  What we see when we look into the sky at night, we see a mere fraction of the activity that is going on in the heavens.  The stars are dancing and darting their way through the night.  The amazing thing is that these stars can be located.  Astronomers can pinpoint exactly where a star is in the sky, They have charts and sky maps and coordinates, and for the most part they can tell you where a star is at any given time.  Astronomers have identified clusters of stars, Supernovas, asteroids, millions of bright lights just littering the sky with blinking, twinkling light.  The stars seem to be having one big huge disco party in the sky.

It only stands to reason that someone here on the Earth, millions of miles away from those stars came up with the idea to own them.  It is a charming concept, and of course, someone is making a profit on it.  For a fee, somewhere around $20 you can name a star.  You can actually look at a chart and choose your star.  You name the star, especially cheesy Valentine’s Day gift, perfect birthday gift for a young scientist.  Imagine applying to MIT someday and putting on the application under “miscellaneous”, “by the way, I own a star.  It is named for me.”  Sounds prestigious.  Kids love it, some marketing genius somewhere is sitting back just counting the money.  Who is going to be able to prove which star is theirs, who is going to question you when you show it to them.  But the bottom line is, how cool is it to own one?

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Visit a Canadian Observatory and Truly See the Night Sky

Canada’s weather may tend to lean heavily towards cool. It is actually those cold, crisp conditions, coupled with the fact that Canada has very little light pollution and lots of places that have high altitude, that make sky watching very favorable. That’s probably the reason why some of the world’s largest observatories are located in Canada.

Depending on which observatory you visit, you may actually be able to take a tour of the facilities and look through some of the telescopes that are used to study the night sky. You can use Canada 411 to find those observatories that are open to the public and conduct tours.

Even if you can’t actually tour the observatory, that isn’t an excuse not to visit one. Depending on the observatory’s location, you’ll be able to see things in the night sky that you probably had only heard about or seen pictures of. Imagine actually being able to see the Milky Way as it stretches across our galaxy, or make out all the stars in a particular constellation, not just a few of them.

In addition, the observatories, both those open to the public and for tours, as well as those which are not, use the latest in telescopic technology to conduct their research and studies. They keep up with the advancements in this and other technological fields so that their findings will remain accurate. This is very important when studying the cosmos, especially since Canadian observatories are the ones responsible for a large majority of the research that is performed in this area.

If you visit an observatory in one of the higher altitude locations, be sure to dress warmly, even if it is the middle of summer. Temperatures can be cooler at higher altitudes, and you want to be able to stargaze in comfort. Checkon current weather conditions and temperatures.

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The Science Of Astrology

What’s your sign?  The study of Astrology is felt by some, to literally guide your entire life.  Some woman plan having their babies under certain astrological signs, thereby insuring them a bright and happy future.  Couples plan their weddings on good astrological dates, or steer clear of bad astrological dates.  There are schools of thought for and against the study of astrology and how it pertains to shaping one’s life.

Can the way the planets are aligned really predict how your life will play out?  Does the position of the planets at the time you were born really have an effect on your type of personality or the people you would be most compatible with?  There are believers and non believers.  While there are millions of people born under every sign of the zodiac, not all the people born to a certain sign experience the same effects on their lives.  Can those who do believe mold their lives to conform to the particulars to their sign?  In some cases, yes.  There is something to be said when the alignment of the planets constitutes an entire study in and of itself, astrology.  Astrology is not about the stars, rather about the planets, their position at any given time, and how that affects the way we live our lives.

One can have their entire astrological chart drawn up.  However, you will be given basic information, such as “Aries get along well with Scorpios”, or “you have an easy going personality.”  Unless you are Jack the Ripper, most of these statements could apply to almost anyone.  For the most part, the study of Astrology has its place.  It is probably not a good idea to plan your whole life around your astrological sign, but it can be amusing to consider what parts of that sign pertain to you.  There are other more exact sciences, but astrology might just be the “fun” science.

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The Nightly Show

The Big Dipper / The Plough asterism

Image via Wikipedia

Looking up into the sky on a clear night is like watching a graceful ballet.  The sky is literally alive with activity.  The stars are glowing, sometimes it looks as though they are blinking one at a time.  Some of them are shooting, rushing by other stars as if to play a game of star tag.  There is the Big Dipper, which always has the Little Dipper in its path, as if the Big Dipper were the parent, watching a small child play in the park.  On clear nights, the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper are clearly defined and something beautiful to see.  On cloudy nights, you can see the stars play a great game of hide and seek, waiting for the clouds to clear so they can shine their brightest and watch us marvel at them.

Then there are the special performances.  Once every couple of years we get to see planets that we normally cannot see.  Get out the telescopes, sometimes these sightings are once in a lifetime, and may not occur again for hundreds of years.  Lunar eclipses are always fun to watch.  It is amazing to fathom the size of the moon and the sun passing in front of or behind one another.  They just look like a couple of spheres, being juggled by some great sky giant, for our enjoyment.

There are the surprise visits.  Sometimes you are just looking up at the sky at the right time.  An asteroid breaks up and blasts of light shoot through the sky.  Sometimes the astronomers let us know when a meteor shower is expected, giving us yet one more chance to experience the wonders of nature.

How often do you go through life never looking up at the sky?  How often have you said you wish there were forms of entertainment that were not so expensive?  Next time the budget is tight and the sky is clear, pull up a lawn chair, grab a drink and get ready for the show.  It is worth every penny.

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6 Fun Astronomy Facts

The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant contain...

Image via Wikipedia

Astronomy is something that is a lot of fun to study and has captured the attention of many people for centuries. Here are some of the most interesting and fun facts about astronomy and the world ‘out there’.

  • It’s believed by scientists that we can only see approximately 5% of the matter that is in the universe. The rest of the matter is made up of matter that’s invisible, which is known as Dark Matter, and a very mysterious energy form called Dark Energy.
  • The neutron stars are so very dense that just one soup can full of them would have more than the Moon’s mass.
  • There’s so much energy produced by the sun that each and every second its core releases as much as 100 billion of the nuclear bombs.
  • Even though Galileo Galilei was credited incorrectly with inventing the telescope, the truth is that someone named Johannes Lippershey, a Dutch maker of eyeglasses, created it. In truth, Galileo was probably the first one who used it to look at the stars.
  • Black holes are so very dense, and the gravity that they produce is so great, that light can’t even escape.
  • It takes so long for the light from the distant galaxies and stars to reach Earth that we’re really seeing the objects like they appeared many many many years ago.  So as we gaze at the sky, in truth we’re looking into the past.
  • A supernova produced the Crab Nebula back in 1054 A.D.  The Arab and Chinese astronomers back then noted that this explosion was so incredibly bright that it could be seen in the daytime and that the night sky was lit up for months.

These are some of the fun facts about astronomy that most people don’t know but a lot would find to be interesting.

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