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Sunspots, Space Weather and ClimateFour hundred years ago this year the telescope was first used for astronomical observations. Within a year, Galileo in Italy and Harriot in England reported seeing spots on the surface of the Sun. Yet, it took over 230 years of observations before a Swiss amateur astronomer noticed that the sunspots increased and decreased in number over a period of about 11 years. Within 15 years of this discovery of the sunspot cycle astronomers made the first observations of a flare on the surface of the Sun. In the 150 years since that discovery we have learned much about sunspots, the sunspot cycle, and the Sun s explosive events - solar flares, prominence eruptions and coronal mass ejections that usually accompany the sunspots. These events produce what is called Space Weather. The conditions in space are dramatically affected by these events. Space Weather can damage our satellites, harm our astronauts, and affect our lives here on the surface of planet Earth. Long term changes in the sunspot cycle have been linked to changes in our climate as well. In this public lecture I will give an introduction to sunspots, the sunspot cycle, space weather, and the possible impact of solar variability on our climate.
Document ID
20090028641
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Hathaway, David H.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
June 14, 2009
Subject Category
Astronomy
Report/Patent Number
M09-0467
Meeting Information
Meeting: Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society Meeting
Location: Boulder, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: June 14, 2009
End Date: June 18, 2009
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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