Heliopolis

Shaun Barrett · 2004-06-01 18:34:10

Thanks, Cindy!
I drop in to this thread occasionally and really enjoy the beautiful images you track down on our behalf.
Your ability to make interesting and frequent contributions in so many threads never ceases to amaze me. New Mars would certainly be a much poorer website without your welcome input.
More power to you! :up:

Palomar · 2004-06-24 05:58:49

*Shaun, you're sweet. Thanks. (Adrian will have to install a blushing emoticon...)

This pic was taken by a gentleman named Mr. Tezell of Turkey on June 21 (summer solstice). Sunspot 635 (lower-most) has grown since the pic was taken and may produce class M flares. 'Spots can be seen with unaided eye in the right conditions (horizonal/thickest portion of atmosphere during -rise/-set):

Palomar · 2004-07-03 06:53:45

http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2004/ … e.html]3-D "views" of coronal mass ejections

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-07-03 07:11:22

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000505.html]We had joy, we had fun, we had planets "in" the Sun :laugh:

*Don't mind me...just trying to keep my spirits up.

Anywho, this image from SOHO is similar (but different) from one I fished out of Astropix a few months ago and posted in this thread. Note in the caption that Luna never interferes with SOHO's views because it is beyond Lunar orbit.

"And what about the Moon? The SOHO spacecraft is positioned well beyond lunar orbit where its view of the Sun is never interrupted by the Moon."

--Cindy :;):

Palomar · 2004-07-11 08:00:47

*Helioseismic holography.

Maybe most folks here are familiar with this technique (it's featured daily at spaceweather.com): Allows astronomers to http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/farside.html]map the far side of the Sun.

They're currently (on this date) tracking two large sunspots on the far side which'll come into our view soon: "From Earth, only one side of the sun is plainly visible, but using a technique called helioseismic holography, astronomers can see the other side, too. Recent far-side images reveal some big sunspots. If they persist, these 'spots will emerge over the sun's east limb, carried into view by solar rotation, between July 13th and 17th. Prepare for solar activity! This helioseismic map of the sun indicates a pair of big sunspots on the far side of our star on July 9th."

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2004/ … nk.gif]Far side spots of July 9

I keep track of the holographic images (and the sunspot count too of course) daily. It's amazing what they can do. I couldn't have imagined this technology as a kid. :-\

--Cindy

Shaun Barrett · 2004-07-12 07:26:13

Helioseismic holography ... well I'll be jiggered!!

I never knew such an almost magical technique existed. Thanks!

Palomar · 2004-07-16 07:13:48

Hello]http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2004/16jul04/palmer1.jpg]"Hello. My name is Sol..."

*Does look like a smiley face. :;): The good people at spaceweather.com are having a bit of fun with this image as well: Sunspots 649 and 644 make up the left and right eye respectively. The "smile" is a gas-filled magnetic filament. Also looks like Sol's got eyebrows. :laugh:

Photo taken with an H-alpha filter by Gary Palmer of California (he's always contributing great pics of Sol to spaceweather.com) on July 14.

Lots of big 'spots on Sol currently (on the Earth-facing side), with another huge 'spot soon to arise over the eastern limb. We could be in for X-class flares.

Overall sunspot number has jumped rather dramatically as well in the past 48 hours; currently 146 of them.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-07-16 11:57:31

*Coinciding with the above post, although this information just now came through spaceweather.com (those folks are really on the ball...pardon the pun!):

http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2004/1 … g]X3-class flare; just this morning -- 7/16

"Sunspot 649 has been very active, producing five X-class solar flares since July 15th. The most powerful so far was an X3-class flare, pictured (above)...In Statesville, North Carolina, Charles was video recording sunspot group 649 when today's X3-flare erupted. 'It completely engulfed one small sunspot,' he says. 'Fingers of bright material raced out in several directions. This was the the brightest and fastest-acting flare I have ever seen.'"

*I need to get a bigger scope so I can have an H-alpha filter and witness these events myself!

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-07-17 10:14:10

*I found this quote from one of our astronauts (shuttle program):

The sun truly "comes up like thunder," and it sets just as fast. Each sunrise and sunset lasts only a few seconds. But in that time you see at least eight different bands of color come and go, from a brilliant red to the brightest and deepest blue. And you see sixteen sunrises and sixteen sunsets every day you're in space. No sunrise or sunset is ever the same.

—Joseph Allen, USA

*That would be incredible to see!

--Cindy

::edit:: http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm … /]National Geographic special about the Sun Is still for sale on newsstands, last time I checked.

Palomar · 2004-07-17 23:00:16

*I'd like to make one exception to this thread, to include the following (but please...back on-topic soon, i.e. hard science and media releases):

I finally found an ancient "Egyptian Hymn to the Sun" which I'd read years ago (although it is a partial quote). I searched the internet with no luck quite a few times and just now, while reading this evening, found it in a book.

It was written by Akhenaton, aka Amenhotep IV.

Thy dawning is beautiful in the horizon of heaven
Oh living Aton, beginning of life.

When thou risest in the eastern horizon of heaven,
Thou fillest every land with thy beauty;

For thou art beautiful; great, glittering, high over the earth;
Thy rays they encompass the lands, even all thou hast made

Thou art Ra and thou hast carried them all away captive;
Thou bindest them by thy love.

Though thou art afar, thy rays are on the earth;
Though thou art on high, thy footprints are the day.

*Lovely; I couldn't resist sharing it.

Now back to hard science and science media releases. :;):

--Cindy

[P.S.: Non-native English speakers, FYI:

Thy = Your
Thou = You
Art = Are
Hast = Have]

Shaun Barrett · 2004-07-18 07:26:53

Of all the pharoahs of Egypt, Ahkenaton is the only one I've ever thought I'd like to have met. His monotheistic new religion was far ahead of its time and, although it seems somewhat primitive to us today, in his day it would have been supremely logical to imagine the Sun as the one true God, in my opinion.
Ahkenaton and his wife, Nefertiti, in my own view of history, were like an ancient and more factual version of Arthur and Guinevere; a brief shining moment of peace, beauty, and sanity in a long-lasting era of darkness and ignorance.
I suppose we can only imagine how much sooner in the story of mankind the more mature concepts of human dignity, liberty, and the rights of the individual might have flourished, if the jealous priests of Amun had been prevented from dousing the light.

Yes, it is a beautiful song. Thank you. I'd never seen it before.
:up:

Palomar · 2004-07-20 11:45:06

*Lots of activity on the Sun currently, including "magnetic fields above giant sunspot 652 erupted today at 1230 UT, sparking an M8-class solar flare". That is from spaceweather.com, today's date. http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2004/2 … ley1.jpg]A pic of the flare by Mr. Charles Tilley.

**There's also talk of a possible Earth-directed coronal mass ejection.**

Sunspot 652 (which produced the flare above) is roughly the size of Jupiter. Here's today's image from SOHO:

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2004/ … nk.gif]652 -- mighty big

'Spot count has also jumped rather dramatically and is currently at 176.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-07-21 06:18:02

**There's also talk of a possible Earth-directed coronal mass ejection.**

*CME heading our way:

"A coronal mass ejection is heading toward Earth, and it could spark a geomagnetic storm when it arrives probably after nightfall on July 22nd. Sky watchers in northern Europe, Canada, and northern-tier US states such as Wisconsin and Minnesota should be alert for auroras.

Right: On July 17th, Chris VenHaus photographed these auroras over the upper peninsula of Michigan. [gallery]

The incoming CME was hurled into space on July 20th by an M8-class explosion above giant sunspot 652. The active region has a twisted magnetic field that harbors energy for even more powerful X-class flares in the days ahead. Stay tuned for solar activity!"

*It mentions a photo taken by Mr. VenHaus on July 17 (I've seen it; there are others taken on the 16th and 17th by other folks as well). Apparently we sustained a hit by a CME on the 16th-17th...although spaceweather.com didn't report it immediately. Yesterday they made it sound like we were in for our 1st CME hit from the recent sunspot group. :-\ I check the site every day.

Anyway, you can view the recent aurora gallery at spaceweather.com.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-07-22 12:19:10

http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/sw … jpg]Danger: Your eyebrows might get singed! :-\

*My god that is one heckuva of a whopper!

From spaceweather.com for today's date: "Magnetic fields above giant sunspot 652 erupted today at 0032 UT. Jack Newton of Arizona photographed the event, which ranked M9 on the Richter Scale of solar flares. Says Jack, "the sunspot looked like a giant river of lava during the explosion..."

What's M9? See:

http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/fl … html]Flare classification

--Cindy

P.S.: Lots more images at spaceweather.com -- Sol is extremely active right now. Also, SOHO having a field day as well. :laugh:

Palomar · 2004-07-27 06:01:26

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040725.html]A solar filament lifts off

*That's a really pretty pic.

"Gas in the filament is funneled by the complex and changing magnetic field of the Sun. After lifting off from the Sun's surface, most of the filamentary gas will eventually fall back."

From TRACE satellite, year 2000.

---

Blinkers]http://www.grandunification.com/hypertext/Blinkers.html#Blinkers%20and%20other%20Solar%20Phenomena]"Blinkers"

*Interesting info and animations from a web site I recently found.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-07-28 13:06:54

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/s … 8.html]Sun Spikes

*Aka "spicules."

An especially intriguing article from space.com.

"The spicules are typically 300 miles (480 km) in diameter and shoot a relatively modest 3,000 miles (4,830 km) above the Sun's surface. They scream upward at 50,000 mph (22 kps) and then vanish within five minutes, making them hard to study.

More than 100,000 spicules tickle the solar atmosphere, called the corona, at any time."

*Ringing and bouncing:

"The key to their origin is in the regular cycle with which spicules regenerate. Every five minutes or so, one leaps forth from the same spot, according to the new study. It so happens that the Sun has a well-known inner ring, much like that of a bell, that works on the same cycle.

'We developed a computer model of the Sun’s atmosphere to show that the periodicity of the spicules is caused by sound waves at the solar surface that have the same five-minute period,' said Robertus Erdélyi von Fáy-Siebenbürgen...

The ringing of the Sun involves seismic waves similar to those in an earthquake. They are usually damped down before they can leave the roiling surface and so continue bouncing around inside the Sun."

*They're also wondering if spicules might be what feeds the solar wind. Spicules occur in groups. Article includes link to "mysteries of the Sun" and Images feature and extra links at the bottom. :up:

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-02 16:32:02

*Solar prominence "movie" from a Mr. Rapavy of Slovakia on July 31. The eruption source was Sunspot 652 -- by this time just over Sol's western limb. Superb.

At one point in the "movie" (near the end) you can see a perfect arc of flame just to the left of the major point of activity. It's faint and very "thin."

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-03 07:18:22

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/s … 8.html]Sun Spikes
*Aka "spicules."
An especially intriguing article from space.com.
"The spicules are typically 300 miles (480 km) in diameter and shoot a relatively modest 3,000 miles (4,830 km) above the Sun's surface. They scream upward at 50,000 mph (22 kps) and then vanish within five minutes, making them hard to study.
More than 100,000 spicules tickle the solar atmosphere, called the corona, at any time."

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040802.html]Lovely

*A big, gorgeous photo. Goes with article I posted a few days ago (in quote box).

Interesting how the some of the ancients depicted the Sun as being a feathered creature. These features certainly look like feathers.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-12 05:24:51

The 'Spot That Wouldn't Die!! :;):

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2004/ … if]Sunspot 649

*It came round in July and "treated" us to X-class flares then. It's come round again. IIRC it was first detected (in early July) on the farside of Sol, so it's soon to have survived two full rotations of the Sun (1 rotation = 27 days).

It's also -growing- again.

I wonder what the longevity record is for a particular 'spot. ???

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-12 19:47:55

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/genesis-04a.html]Genesis coming home
*Another mission nearly completed. Re-entry (of sample return capsule) is scheduled for September 8. Lots to look forward to; I love it!
"Genesis is NASA's first sample return mission since the last Apollo mission in 1972, and the first ever to return material collected beyond the Moon. The science collection began November 30, 2001..."
--Cindy
::EDIT:: Dramatic in-air helicopter recovery:
"On May 2, 2004, the spacecraft will fly past Earth, positioning itself for daylight recovery. Four months later, the sample-return capsule will make a dramatic Earth entrance by parachuting toward the ground at the Utah Testing and Training Range of the U.S. Air Force.
--->Specially trained helicopter pilots will catch the capsule in midair<--- to prevent the delicate samples from being disturbed by the impact of a landing.
*Wish I could be there to watch.

http://www.universetoday.com/am/publish … 04]Genesis successfully completes 20th trajectory maneuver

*Homecoming next month. Particles returned will be analyzed
in labs around the world.

"'It was a textbook maneuver,' said Ed Hirst, Genesis's mission manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 'After sifting through all the post-burn data, I expect we will find ourselves right on the money.'"

-also-

"The samples Genesis provides will supply scientists with vital information on the composition of the Sun, and will shed light on the origins of our solar system."

Hmmm...why does the phrase Golden Apples of the Sun come to mind?

--Cindy

SBird · 2004-08-14 18:16:17

Incidentally, the Genesis mission used a very interesting orbital trajectory that was touched on in the interplanetary transporation forum a few months back under the thread 'zero energy trajectory' or somesuch. Basically, it allows a space probe that is at one of the Lagrange points to travel around the solar system using almost no fuel.

Palomar · 2004-08-19 17:00:54

http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/ge … html]Stunt pilots preparing for Genesis homecoming!

*Yippee! Have been following this throughout the months at this thread, as relative articles were released.

"A team of NASA scientists, navigators and helicopter stunt pilots is ready to snatch a space sample canister out of the sky next month when the Genesis spacecraft returns to Earth...Genesis will hurl its sample return capsule at the Utah desert on Sept. 8, where a pair of helicopter crews expect to snag it in mid-air.

'Right now we're traveling about 600 miles an hour,' said George Carlisle, NASA's navigation chief for Genesis, during the briefing. 'When we enter Earth's atmosphere, we'll traveling between 3,000 and 4,600 miles and hour.'

Carlisle said the Genesis spacecraft is designed to start spinning at about 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) on Sept. 8, then release its sample return capsule toward the Utah testing range. At 12:00 p.m., the capsule should smack into the Earth's atmosphere 85 miles above Salem, Oregon and reach Utah airspace 96 seconds later.

A drogue chute will slow the capsule to subsonic speeds, where the main parachute is expected to deploy. Two waiting helicopters flown by Hollywood stunt pilots should then swoop up to the capsule and catch its parachute with a hook and pole about 4,000 feet above the Utah desert."

*Good luck!! Have said it before, will say it again: Wish I could be there to watch! :band:

Eleven simulated captures have had 100% success rate.

--Cindy

P.S.: "There is also a fall-back plan if an anomaly pops up prior to three hours before capsule separation:

'There's another opportunity for reentry in six months,' Carlisle said. 'At any point, if anything goes wrong, we can punch the button and bail out and take the six-month back up.'"

Palomar · 2004-08-20 17:02:38

Dont]http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2004/15aug04/locker1_big.gif]Don't blink

*The ISS sure gets around. :;): Seeming upclose and personal with Sol and spot 649.

--Cindy

Palomar · 2004-08-31 19:33:47

The 'Spot That Wouldn't Die!! :;):
http://www.spaceweather.com/images2004/ … if]Sunspot 649
*It came round in July and "treated" us to X-class flares then. It's come round again. IIRC it was first detected (in early July) on the farside of Sol, so it's soon to have survived two full rotations of the Sun (1 rotation = 27 days).
It's also -growing- again.
I wonder what the longevity record is for a particular 'spot. ???
--Cindy

*Sunspot 649 persists and is still large. Longevity nearly 2 months now.

-also-

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.htm … Everything Genesis!

Links, media, etc. Is only 7 days away from this post date!

--Cindy

Shaun Barrett · 2004-09-01 05:38:30

Thanks, Cindy, for the periodic updates on all things solar!

It sure is an amazing coup, to go out and scoop up 'star stuff' and bring it home. And wouldn't those stunt helicopter pilots be excited to be able to turn their skills to something as incredible as this?!!

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#76 2004-06-01 18:34:10

Re: Heliopolis

#77 2004-06-24 05:58:49

Re: Heliopolis

#78 2004-07-03 06:53:45

Re: Heliopolis

#79 2004-07-03 07:11:22

Re: Heliopolis

#80 2004-07-11 08:00:47

Re: Heliopolis

#81 2004-07-12 07:26:13

Re: Heliopolis

#82 2004-07-16 07:13:48

Re: Heliopolis

#83 2004-07-16 11:57:31

Re: Heliopolis

#84 2004-07-17 10:14:10

Re: Heliopolis

#85 2004-07-17 23:00:16

Re: Heliopolis

#86 2004-07-18 07:26:53

Re: Heliopolis

#87 2004-07-20 11:45:06

Re: Heliopolis

#88 2004-07-21 06:18:02

Re: Heliopolis

#89 2004-07-22 12:19:10

Re: Heliopolis

#90 2004-07-27 06:01:26

Re: Heliopolis

#91 2004-07-28 13:06:54

Re: Heliopolis

#92 2004-08-02 16:32:02

Re: Heliopolis

#93 2004-08-03 07:18:22

Re: Heliopolis

#94 2004-08-12 05:24:51

Re: Heliopolis

#95 2004-08-12 19:47:55

Re: Heliopolis

#96 2004-08-14 18:16:17

Re: Heliopolis

#97 2004-08-19 17:00:54

Re: Heliopolis

#98 2004-08-20 17:02:38

Re: Heliopolis

#99 2004-08-31 19:33:47

Re: Heliopolis

#100 2004-09-01 05:38:30

Re: Heliopolis

Board footer