Our Sun 93 million miles (150

million kilometers) from Earth

99.8% of the mass of our solar system

Vocabulary words1. Corona – The outer layer of sun’s atmosphere.2. Sunspot – A dark area of gas on the sun’s surface

that is cooler than surrounding gases.3. Prominence – A huge, reddish loop of gas that

protrudes from the sun’s surface, linking part of sunspot regions.

4. Solar Flare – An eruption of gas from the sun’s surface that occurs when the loops in sunspot regions suddenly connect.

5. Solar Wind – A stream of electrically charged particles that emanates from the sun’s corona.

Corona

http://www.space.com/21830-monster-sun-prominence-and-strong-flare-kick-off-july-video.html

Events on the Sun• Sunspots

• Prominences

• Solar flares http://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/80035/solar-flares-17-2997.html

Sunspots

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML-zSagzOzw

HD picture captured by the largest telescope

Prominences

Solar Flares

Solar Wind

http://www.sciencechannel.com/video-topics/space-videos/the-planets-the-sun-solar-wind.htm

The Sun’s Energy• The core of the sun acts like a furnace.• The sun’s energy comes from nuclear fusion.• Nuclear fusion- Hydrogen atoms join together to form

helium atoms at extremely high temperatures.• Sun’s core- 15 million degrees Celsius• Conservation of Mass - The total mass of the helium atoms

produces is slightly less than the total mass of the hydrogen atoms. The difference is the amount of heat and light energy given off by the sun.

Stop and Think - Hydrogen and helium are the most abundant elements in the universe. Why? (ans. on page 36 of your INB)

The Sun’s Atmosphere3 layers:1) Photosphere : • Inner layer of the sun’s atmosphere• the part of the sun we see when we look at the sun

2) Chromosphere :• Middle layer• Reddish glow just around the photosphere seen during a

solar eclipse

3) Corona : means “crown”• Outer layer that looks like a halo ( seen during a complete

solar eclipse)• Gives off solar wind which cause the aurora borealis at the

North and South Poles.

Answer on these questions on page 36 of your INBMatch the following pictures to the solar event they represent:1. explosions on the sun’s surface2. finger like sun’s surface projections 3. electrically charged particles leaving the suns’ corona 4. dark areas on sun’s surface

AB

C

D

5. Which part of the sun acts as it’s furnace?

6. Where does the sun’s energy come from?

7. What are the 2 most abundant elements in the universe?

8. Which layer of the sun is what we see from Earth?

9. Which layer of the sun’s atmosphere is called it’s crown or halo?

10. Which layer of the sun’s atmosphere provides a reddish color during a solar eclipse?