There have been several news stories and diaries about the recent increases in solar activity and the effects on the Earth. Some have been fortunate to live in areas where aurora have been visible caused by these solar events. NASA has released a set of videos and other materials to bring the story into one web site. The content is geared for the general public and is done in the usual high quality expected of NASA productions. If you are interested in some solid and understandable lessons on solar activity, this set of videos is an excellent way to gain that.
NASA has just released five new videos called "Mysteries of the Sun". The videos describe the science of the sun and its effects on the solar system and Earth. These movies cover the breadth of solar, heliospheric, and geospace science, a field known as heliophysics.
With beautiful graphics and well-explained narration, the series has won awards even before its public release, including the 2011 Platinum 3rd Annual Pixie Award in the category of Motion Graphics, receiving compliments from the judges such as "breath-taking animation" and "Some of the best in the competition."
More below the squiggle.
The five movies, available online and on DVD, cover five areas of heliophysics: Space Weather, Solar Variability, the Heliosphere, Earth's magnetosphere, and Earth's upper atmosphere. There is also a guidebook with images, diagrams, and charts to make heliophysics more understandable. The topics covered include the Sun's anatomy, the solar cycle, solar storms, and solar variability. The Sun’s effects on space weather and the Earth’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere are also covered.
Visit the website of Mysteries of the Sun. Or, watch the segments from here. Each is between 4 and 6 minutes in length.
Space Weather
This video describes the direct and dramatic effects that eruptions on the sun can cause at Earth. Earth's magnetic fields change shape and strength in response to an eruption on the sun, and these changes in turn can damage space born technology and disrupt communications traveling through space. They also cause aurora.
Solar Variability
Rotations of the material deep inside the sun cause constantly shifting magnetic field lines. This variability drives the solar cycle, during which the north and south magnetic poles reverse position approximately every 11 years.
The Heliosphere
The solar wind streams out from the sun until it collides with material from the rest of space. This entire bubble defined by the solar wind is called the heliosphere and scientists study the very boundaries to better understand our place in space.
Earth's Magnetosphere
Earth is enveloped in a protective magnetic envelope called the magnetosphere. This can change shape in response to the sun's effects, causing various types of space weather at Earth.
Earth's Upper Atmosphere
Certain layers, high up in the atmosphere also respond to incoming energy from the sun. These layers contain charged particles and so naturally respond to an influx of magnetic energy. Understanding such variability is crucial since it can, in turn, degrade radio communication as well as satellite orbits.
Awards Received:
Telly Award: 2012 Silver Award (highest honor): Non-Broadcast Productions - Use of Animation
Telly Award: 2012 Bronze Award: Non-Broadcast Productions – Education
2011 Platinum 3rd Annual Pixie Award in the category of Motion Graphics
For Space Weather video:
2010 Gold 17th Annual Award of Excellence Communicator Award: Education
2010 Silver 17th Annual Award of Distinction Communicator Award: Use of Animation
2011 Silver TIVA-DC Peer Award for the category: Motion Graphics: 2D/3D Animation Over $25,000
2011 Bronze 32nd Annual Telly Award Film/Video: Education
For Solar Variability video:
2010 Gold 17th Annual Award of Excellence Communicator Award: Education
2010 Silver 17th Annual Award of Distinction Communicator Award Use of Animation
2011 Silver TIVA-DC Peer Award for the category: Motion Graphics: 2D/3D Animation Over $25,000
2011 Bronze 32nd Annual Telly Award Film/Video: Use of Animation
For Heliosphere video:
2011 Bronze TIVA-DC Peer Award for the category: Motion Graphics: 2D/3D Animation Over $25,000