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Sun Unexpectedly Swells to Red Giant

April 1, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Stargazing

The Sun unexpectedly has swollen to a red-orange on April 1, 2016 as seen over southern California.
The Sun unexpectedly has swollen to a red-orange on April 1, 2016 as seen over southern California.

In a development that has shocked astrophysicists around the world, the Sun has unexpectedly run out of hydrogen fuel in its core. As gravity squeezed the collapsing core, the dense plasma increased in temperature and ignited helium burning, causing the outer layers to swell into a red giant. Reports suggest the two inner planets, Mercury and Venus, have been swallowed by the expanding star. On Earth, students in the northern hemisphere have been released from school to start summer break early. While astronomers are perplexed, health professionals strongly recommend a thick layer of sunscreen for anyone venturing outside, at least until someone can figure out how to restock the supply of hydrogen gas in the Sun’s core.

In a media report, Professor Cedric Doppleganger, of the California Institute of Astrophysics, said that although the Sun’s sudden expansion violates all known laws of physics, that researchers are undeterred. “It just goes to show that the science of solar physics isn’t so settled after all.”

(On April 2nd and beyond, the above image will be of the setting of a calm main sequence G-type star on a windy evening at Santa Monica Beach, California.)

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Filed Under: Stargazing solar system, sun, sunset

Total Solar Eclipse on March 9, 2016

March 3, 2016 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Celestial Events, Solar System

SE2016Mar09T
Path of the solar eclipse of March 8-9, 2016.

The year’s only total solar eclipse occurs next week on March 8-9, 2016. The narrow path of totality runs from the eastern Indian Ocean, across the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and on into the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii. Armadas of ships carrying astronomical tourists are on the way to the area, especially to the region of maximum totality well north of Papua New Guinea where the eclipse will last an impressive 4 minutes. For readers of this site on the way to see this magnificent event, I wish you clear skies and calm seas [Read more…] about Total Solar Eclipse on March 9, 2016

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Filed Under: Celestial Events, Solar System solar eclipse, solar system, sun

Southern African Solar Eclipse of September 13, 2015

September 11, 2015 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Solar System

Partial solar eclipse seen from New Zealand in 2008. (Credit: Greg Hewgill)
Partial solar eclipse seen from New Zealand in 2008. (Credit: Greg Hewgill)

Observers in southern Africa will enjoy a partial solar eclipse this weekend on September 13, 2015. This eclipse will be visible from all parts of South Africa, southern parts of Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It will also be visible for the very few observers over a wide area of the Indian Ocean and Antarctica. This is a partial eclipse– not total– so sky and Earth will not darken completely, and you will need proper solar filtering to enjoy this event [Read more…] about Southern African Solar Eclipse of September 13, 2015

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Filed Under: Solar System moon, solar eclipse, solar system, sun

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