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Assignment 5 (Sun Spots)


To See Other Assignments in the Exploring the Universe Series: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |

Assignment 5 Tracking Sunspots

It has been assumed that all data in these exercises has been calculated with W on the left and E on the right

(1a) Find the radius of the Sun in pixels by finding the diameter and dividing by 2.

1b) The actual radius of the Sun is about 700,000 km. Now we can find the scale of this image in km/pixel
Although the 463 pixels represents a linear distance of 1,400,000 Km (The diameter of the Sun) it actually represents half the Sun’s circumference, a distance of 2199160 Km hence the difference between 2D and 3D

(2) Find the size of a solar prominence
In the file SUN0220.FIT there is clear evidence for a solar prominence. Using the left hand mouse to measure its coordinates, work out the rough size of the prominence. Again this is a 2D representation of a 3D structure and the length of the prominence has therefore been given taking account of both.

The image to the left is an enlarged view of the prominence that I have taken. As it arcs its curve is rather complex, I have therefore treated it as three separate portions. I have assumed that at point V the prominence ends and that the one from V to V2 is new but smaller one.

Main Formula: Length = √x2+y2

Top Part: x = 19, y = 124 after calculation = 125.45 px
Mid Part: x = 68, y = 35 after calculation = 76.48 px.
Bot Part: x = 17, y = 16 after calculation = 23.35 px.
Total of the three parts = 222.61

Can you find solar prominences in the other images? Based on the five images available to you, comment briefly on the sizes, duration and frequency of solar prominences?

Laying the images out side by side it is evident that most of the Sun spot and prominence activity seems to occur between latitudes 600N and 600S of the equator. It also seems that small structures come and go in a matter of a day or so. On the other hand large structures have a longer lifetime, indeed one in the Northern hemisphere appeared on all six images and therefore lasted for more than six days.

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