THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX
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Student Research in the Space Science Lab
SSL scholars will observe and measure sunspots and visible and radio solar flares. Their observations contribute to the world-wide data network used to monitor the impact of the Sun’s activity on Earth’s weather and environment, telecommunications, and our nation’s space program.
Students will enjoy the excitement of observing and measuring solar phenomena as it occurs, comparing their daily optical and observations. The young scientists continue throughout the school year using the telescopes remotely from their schools or homes.
Each student will be given a radio telescope kit from NASA’s Radio JOVE project to build and keep. JOVE is worldwide effort to monitor the Solar activity at the low radio frequency of 20 MHz and the PARI Space Science Lab students participate in the JOVE network. Not only does this connect the students with professional scientists and their research, but also this can become a lifelong experience.
Each of the experiments the students will conduct are summarized below. All of the telescopes can be operated remotely.
What Students See | The Telescope | Observations |
Sunspots
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| SUNSPOTS: The Sun will be imaged using a Solar Telescope. From these images, sunspots will be counted and mapped. Sunspots numbers will be compared with predictions by the National Geophysical Data Center of the NOAA. The daily changes in sunspot latitude and longitude will be used to calculate the rotation rate of the Sun. Large sunspots are indicative of forthcoming solar flares which will be detected at radio wavelengths.
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Solar Flares
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| SOLAR FLARES: Solar flares will be observed using a Coronado Solar Telescope. Students will image the progress of a flare using a camera operating at video rates. The amount of energy and physical size of the flares will be calculated by the students.
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Bursts of radio waves
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| HIGH FREQUENCY RADIO: Radio observations of the sun at a radio frequency of 1.4 GHz will be performed using with the PARI 4.6 meter radio telescope shown in the foreground (with the Smiley face). The students will measures the intensity of the solar radiation and correlated with the other observational experiments.
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Radio Flares
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| LOW FREQUENCY RADIO: Radio signals at a frequency of 20 MHz from the Sun will be measured using the PARI radio antenna shown to the left. Students will use the antenna to detect intense solar activity, contributing to the worldwide campaign. Solar bursts are often observed at the same time as solar flares and high numbers of sunspots. |
Link to SOHO photos gathered December 9, 2006 for Space Science Lab