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Hot Topic
Solar System
Sun
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Sunspot Breakthrough
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| Topic: Sun |
08/27/11 |
| A new study suggests that scientists may soon be able to predict sunspots before they're visible to the human eye. Sunspots are the starting point for coronal mass ejections - powerful bursts of energy that sometimes hit the Earth. |
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The Breath of the Solar System's Birth
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| Topic: Sun |
06/25/11 |
| The first nitrogen and oxygen isotopic measurements of the Sun demonstrate that they are very different than the same elements on Earth. The findings come from successful results from NASA's Genesis mission. |
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Drop in Sun's Activity Expected
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| Topic: Sun |
06/15/11 |
| A missing jet stream, fading spots, and slower activity near the poles say that our sun is heading for a rest period even as it is acting up for the first time in years. The Sun plays a major role in maintaining the habitability of the Earth, and studying solar activity can help astrobiologists understand what is in store for life's future on our planet. |
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The Sun is Having a Blast
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| Topic: Sun |
06/08/11 |
| On June 7, 2011, the Sun unleashed a medium-sized solar flare, minor radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection. Soon, the ejection will deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field. |
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Slow Start to Solar Cycle
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| Topic: Sun |
04/18/11 |
| In 2008, sunspots all but vanished and the Sun became eerily quiet. It was the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century. Now, after three long years, the Sun is becoming active once again. Life on Earth is intricately linked to solar activity. Studying the Sun can provide valuable information about the habitability of Earth, and life's future on our planet. |
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Looking into the Sun's Future
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| Topic: Sun |
04/04/11 |
| NASA's Kepler mission have provided such a clear view of changes in star brightness that astronomers can now see clues about what happens inside red giant stars. The results also shed light on what could happen to the Sun in about 5 billion years. |
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Voyager Rolls to See Which Way the Solar Wind is Blowing
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| Topic: Sun |
03/10/11 |
| NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is changing its orientation in order to determine which direction the Sun's stream of charged particles banks as it approaches the edge of the Solar System. Studying the solar wind is important for astrobiologists trying to understand the nature of our system and the conditions that allow for habitable planets. |
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Solving the Mystery of the Spotless Sun
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| Topic: Sun |
03/06/11 |
| In 2008-2009, solar activity dropped to hundred-year lows and sunspots almost completely disappeared. Now, solar physicists have discovered where the sunspots went. |
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