An Erupting Solar Prominence from SOHO
影像擔供: SOHO-EIT Consortium, ESA, NASA
Explanation:
Our Sun is still very active. In the year 2000, our Sun went though Solar Maximum, the time in its 11-year cycle where the most sunspots and explosive activities occur. Sunspots, the Solar Cycle, and solar prominences are all caused by the Sun's changing magnetic field. Pictured above is a solar prominence that erupted in 2002 July, throwing electrons and ions out into the Solar System. The above image was taken in the ultraviolet light emitted by a specific type of ionized helium, a common element on the Sun. Particularly hot areas appear in white, while relatively cool areas appear in red. Our Sun should gradually quiet down until Solar Minimum occurs, and the Sun is most quiet. No one can precisely predict when Solar Minimum will occur, although some signs indicate that it has started already!
說明:
我們的太陽現在還是很活躍。2000年是太陽11年活動週期的極大期，在那段期間太陽黑子的數量和爆發都激增。太陽黑子、太陽活動週期和日珥，全都是由太陽磁場所造成的。上面影像記錄了一個出現在2002年7月的日珥，在這類爆發中，電子和離子被拋射入太陽系裡。氦是太陽很常見的一種元素，上面這幅影像就是在特定游離狀態的游離氦所發出之紫外線波段拍攝的。影像中，白色區是特別熾熱的區域，相對來說紅色的區域較冷。我們的太陽將會逐漸安靜下來，直到太陽活動極小期為止。誰也說不準何時太陽活動極小期會蒞臨，不過有徵兆顯示現在可能已開始了。
資料來源: Scientific American
Department of Physics, NCKU
