The next episode of our Friday Night Show airs on April 19th at 9pm Pacific time!
Since the early 1600s, keen observers armed with telescopes have turned their gaze to the Sun, sketching its dynamic surface on paper. These sketches revealed sunspots, which are regions with concentrated magnetic fields. The ebb and flow of sunspots, creates the approximately 11-year solar cycle, which is crucial for understanding the Sun’s magnetic behavior. This magnetic activity influences Earth’s system and can trigger phenomena like flares and solar energetic particles, posing a threat to electronic devices. Historical solar drawings dating back to the 1600s serve as our direct link to the Sun’s magnetic past, offering valuable insights.
To harness the wealth of information embedded in these historical records, one key parameter is the count of sunspots. This count contributes to the creation of the international sunspot number series, a vital tool in solar research. Our collaborative effort between the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Göttingen, Germany, and the National Institute for Astrophysics Observatory of Rome in Italy, focuses on extracting data from 19th-century solar drawings from the Collegio Romano observatory in Rome.
This project invites you to become a sunspot detective, contributing to what stands as the longest-running experiment in astrophysics. By participating, you play a pivotal role in advancing our comprehension of the Sun’s intricate magnetic past and its enduring impact on Earth. Join us in unraveling the Sun’s secrets, as we embark on this fascinating journey through time and space.
“Sunspots might seem as imperfections on the solar surface, but they are fascinating and constantly changing structures hosting a lot of energy and exciting physical processes.” ~Zooniverse
About Sunspot Detectives
Join Jeff and Pam LIVE on Friday nights at 9pm Pacific time, USA.
The Friday night show is broadcast on FB and YouTube – just look for Everyday Spacer on either platform.
If you’d like to ask questions, share Space Station sightings or ask what planet you saw in the sky, we’ll help you out. We’ll have a main topic or a guest, then share the highlights of the week ahead and the rest will be ad lib. It might be VERY ad lib sometimes! LOL
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Pam’s book is here…
Your Amazing Itty Bitty Explore Space Now! Book by Pam Hoffman…
https://amzn.to/3lNq19k
Sun science…
https://amzn.to/4aWNWHC
