THE SOLAR SYSTEM Nebular Hypothesistheory solar system formed

THE SOLAR SYSTEM Nebular Hypothesis-theory solar system formed from a collapsing nebula Minute. P-Flat. Solar. System Minute. P-Solar. System. Exists

Our Sun � Fire ball is result of nuclear FUSION of hydrogen atoms into helium atoms �How bright? about 4 x 1026 Watt light bulb �Releases all waves of light

Our Sun � Corona: outer layer that creates the ‘solar wind’ which can go 800 km/s � Temp over 1 million degrees Celsius � Photosphere: surface layer responsible for most of visible light about 6, 000 degrees celsius � Sun. Fusion

Our Sun � Sunspots: cooler areas of surface that appear darker (study of sunspots lead to discovery that the sun rotates) � Prominences: ionized gas clouds that are still trapped by electromagnetic field � Solar Flares: explosive outburts (1 hour) �UV, radio, and x-ray radiation �Takes about 1 day to reach Earth �photo

Sun &Earth � Earth’s magnetic field protects us from most harmful Sun radiation � Auroras

Sun & Earth � Tilted at 23. 5° (basis of seasons) � Precession: the direction of the tilt is changing on a 26, 000 year cycle � Nutation: it wobbles on the tilted axis due to influence of moon

Stonehenge, a stone monument built by the ancient Britons on Salisbury Plain, England. Its orientation marks the seasonal rising and setting points of the Sun. (Courtesy Tony Stone/Rob Talbot. ) History of Astronomy Bac

Earth � Equatorial bulge: bulge of about 26. 5 miles due to force generated by the spinning rotation of earth

Earth & Moon � Orbits about 384, 000 km away � Barycenter: the point between two objects where they balance each other �Moon orbits from a point approximately 1, 700 km below earth’s surface

Earth & Moon

Eclipses � Lunar eclipse: earth casts shadow on moon (Full Moon) � Solar eclipse: moon casts shadow on earth (New moon)

Eclipses

Tides � Result Tides of Earth-Moon gravity