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Exploring Life Beyond Our Solar System: A Glimpse into Alien Planets

Imagine life on another planet, explore the potential for habitability and the key factors needed for life to exist. Delve into our Sun's structure, magnetic fields, solar activity, and the impact on Earth. Engage with interactive quizzes, solar labs, and astronomical distances. Unveil the mysteries of our solar system's formation through the Nebular Theory.

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Exploring Life Beyond Our Solar System: A Glimpse into Alien Planets

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  1. Is There Life Out There? Our Solar System (and beyond) Draw a picture of what you think life would look like on another planet, if it existed. Describe why you drew that image.

  2. What is needed for life to exist? http://phl.upr.edu/library/notes/summarylimitsofthenewhabitablezone • Liquid water • Habitable Zone • What can effect HZ? • Star – size and temperature • Distance from star • Size of planet • Structure of planet • Presence of atmosphere • Other source of heat

  3. Our Sun http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/524990main_FAQ10_full.jpg • How did it form? • Basic facts • 99.8% of mass • 100x diameter of Earth • 5,527oC • 92.1% H, 7.8% He • Plasma • Sun today

  4. Inner Solar Structure • Core • Dense • Hydrogen fusion • Radiative (radiation) zone • Uses radiation • Energy moves slowly • Convection zone • Uses convection • Materials rise and sink due to density • Moves more quickly

  5. Outer Solar Structure • Photosphere • Visible surface • Chromosphere • Red • High speed gas • Corona • Hot • Outermost layer • Seen during an eclipse

  6. Surface Feature Basics http://www.space.com/11506-space-weather-sunspots-solar-flares-coronal-mass-ejections.html http://oneminuteastronomer.com/1018/sunspots/ • Sunspots • Dark • Cold • Solar flares • High energy • Explosive • Prominence • Loops/arches http://spacefellowship.com/news/art21967/the-strange-case-of-solar-flares-and-radioactive-elements.html

  7. Daily Review #1 • Video • Write down your observations • Why did that happen? • Correct solar structure worksheet • What is needed for life as we know it? • Describe 3 things that would effect where life could be found in a solar system.

  8. Sunspot Lab

  9. Sun’s Magnetic Field http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57597396/ • What is a magnetic field? • What causes a magnetic field? • On the Sun? • Effect of rotation • Different rotation rates • Magnetic field lines get wound up • Eventually snap • Causes a solar flare • Solar prominences • Follow magnetic field lines into space

  10. Daily Review #2 Solar Quiz – Get out a computer and log on to your account

  11. Sunspots • Cooler than nearby areas • Appear in pairs • Intense magnetic field • Lines go out and in • Predictable cycle • 11-years • Minimums • Last = 2008 • Low # of prominences, flares and sunspots • Cooler climate on Earth • Next maximum = 2013

  12. Solar Wind http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/browse/2013/10/14/index.shtml • Hot, high speed, plasma streams • Corona expanding • Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) • Massive eruption • Rearrangement of magnetic field lines • One hit on 10/15/13 • Effects on Earth • Disrupt magnetic field shape • Danger to astronauts • Damage electronics • Aurora

  13. Aurora http://www.public.iastate.edu/~sdk/fick2003/october.html • Borealis or Australis • Interaction of particles and magnetic field • Particles drawn to poles • Colors • Elements • Altitude • Constantly changing • Video http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/pictures/110930-northern-lights-aurora-borealis-bright-colors/#/space163-aurora-borealis-from-space_41077_600x450.jpg

  14. Distances within our Solar System • Astronomical unit (AU) • Average distance from Sun to Earth • 1 AU= 9.3 x 107mi = 1.5 x 108km • Calculate the AU distance between the Earth and the Moon, 0.38 million km

  15. Nebular Theory • Origin of the Solar System Our Solar System formed from a giant, swirling cloud of gas & dust. • Depends on two principles of Physics: • •Newton’s Law of Gravity- gravitational potential energy ! heat • •Conservation of angular momentum - rotational motion is conserved

  16. Forming the Solar System http://www.seasky.org/solar-system/solar-system.html • Nebula • Inner edges • Heavier elements • Hotter • Rocky planets • Outer edges • Cooler • Lighter elements • Gas planets • Nebula  planetesimals  protoplanets http://lifeng.lamost.org/courses/astrotoday/CHAISSON/AT315/HTML/AT31502.HTM

  17. Formation – cont. http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/solarsys/revolution.html • Asteroid belt • Smaller bodies • Irregularly shaped • Orbit, but may wobble • Effected by Jupiter • May leave and collide with planets • Evidence for formation from one nebula • Nearly circular orbits • Orbit in same direction • Orbits in same plane • Planets rotate in same direction (mostly)

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