sun - SlashGear

NASA Van Allen probes confirm Earth as giant particle accelerator

Will Conley | Dec 4, 2013

The NASA Van Allen twin probes launched last year have revealed that the Earth is a giant particle accelerator. Recently it was reported that particles in the magnetosphere sometimes accelerate across distances of a few hundred meters. But the newer discovery shows the acceleration can occur across hundreds of thousands of kilometers. The data will be helpful to to scientists helping satellite operators and the International Space Station to predict and prepare for the destructive tendencies of the seemingly random fluctuations that can occur in the magnetosphere.

NASA IRIS satellite sets off on voyage to study sun’s atmosphere

Craig Lloyd | Jun 28, 2013

Earlier this month, NASA announced that they would be sending a probe into orbit later this month to study the sun's lower atmosphere. As promised, the space agency has launched the satellite into space to begin its two year mission to study the mysteries of the sun and the odd lower atmosphere that has many scientists puzzled.

NASA shows off whole year of solar flares in one photo

Craig Lloyd | Jun 6, 2013

NASA always has some cool photos to show off, and this little gem, especially, doesn't disappoint. As a part of NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day, the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite took photos of the sun for a whole year and combined them into one picture. The result is a sun with nothing but solar flares all around.

NASA launching IRIS satellite later this month to study the sun

Craig Lloyd | Jun 5, 2013

Back in April, we heard that NASA was preparing for its IRIS mission to the sun by getting the satellite ready for the launch. NASA announced that IRIS (short for Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph) will be launching on June 26 and will be put in Earth's orbit where it will have a peek into the suns lower atmosphere.

Earth’s core as hot as the Sun, claim scientists

Craig Lloyd | Apr 26, 2013

A recent X-ray analysis of molten iron has uncovered that the Earth’s inner core is actually a lot hotter than we all thought previously. According to a team scientists from French research agency CEA, French National Center for Scientific Research CNRS, and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility ESRF, the inner core of the Earth is said to be 6,000 degrees Celsius, or 10,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Ring of Fire” eclipse due on Sunday

Ben Kersey | May 17, 2012

You’ll be waiting a long time until the next total solar eclipse across the United States, but several states in the west will be able to view an annular solar eclipse on Sunday May 20th. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon and sun are directly in line, but the size of the moon appears smaller, resulting in a “ring of fire” in the sky. Around 6.6 million Americans will be able to witness the annular eclipse on Sunday.

“Google totally slimed Sun” says Java father

Chris Davies | Apr 30, 2012

Father of Java and former Sun employee James Gosling has weighed in on the legal furore around Android's use of the programming language, claiming that "Google totally slimed Sun." With the courtroom battle between Oracle - which acquired Sun and its Java patents - and Google picking up for its second week today, Gosling echoed Sun cofounder and chairman Scott McNealy in accusing the search giant of seriously infringing the company's technology.