The Whirlpool Galaxy (Messier 51) - Deep Sky Videos.
Earth/Moon. Solar system. The sun. Gravity and orbit. Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey. Life of the Sun. The Sun has always been the center of our cosmological systems. But with the advent of modern astronomy, humans have become aware of the fact that the Sun is merely one of countless stars in our Universe. In essence, it is a perfectly normal example of a G-type main-sequence star (G2V, aka.
“yellow dwarf”). And like all stars, it has a lifespan, characterized by a formation, main sequence, and eventual death. This lifespan began roughly 4.6 billion years ago, and will continue for about another 4.5 – 5.5 billion years, when it will deplete its supply of hydrogen, helium, and collapse into a white dwarf. To break it down, the Sun is about half way through the most stable part of its life.
The Birth of the Sun: According to Nebular Theory, the Sun and all the planets of our Solar System began as a giant cloud of molecular gas and dust. Artist’s concept of a star surrounded by a molecular cloud to form a swirling disk called a “protoplanetary disk.” The Main Sequence: All things must end. Rare 'severe' geomagnetic storm is hitting Earth right now. A rare G4, "severe" geomagnetic storm, is underway. It has the potential to disrupt radio transmission signals, cause problems with the electrical grid and have a range of other possibly costly impacts.
The event, which is just one notch below the highest category of solar storm, began at about 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday, according to the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The geomagnetic storm is the result of a pair of coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, that left the Sun on March 15 and are now interacting with Earth's atmosphere and geomagnetic field. In a press briefing on Tuesday, NOAA scientists said the two CMEs may have unexpectedly combined as they sped toward Earth, which could explain why the geomagnetic storm has been so strong.
Coronal mass ejections, which are essentially magnetic clouds ejected at high velocity from the sun, can affect the electricity grid, radio transmissions and GPS signals, among other things, when they interact with the planet's magnetic field. Space Public Outreach Team. The Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) provides FREE presentations about current NASA missions to Montana schools, youth programs, and community groups. The office at Montana State University in Bozeman sends presenters to schools and communities across the state. The focus of the program is professional training for higher education student presenters with mentoring by STEM graduate student managers. Through this program higher education students utilize unique NASA content to become inspirational STEM role models for K-12 students and teachers. This year there are two SPOT shows available: Life in the Universe explores the Solar System through the eyes of an astronaut.
Learn about the search for new life and how Montana scientists are contributing to this search. Mission to Mars explores the steps necessary to land a rover successfully on the surface of Mars and reasons for visiting Mars.More information about each show is available on our Presentations page.