537: No Such Thing As The Notorious British Institute of Graphologists
Jun 27, 2024
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The podcast covers topics like snooker on cruise ships, wine promotions, Cold War metal squashing battles, history of metal pressing machines, Victorian monster destruction engine, evolution of handwriting styles, mysteries of the Sun's activity, and concluding remarks on numbers and contact information.
The Sun's corona contains moss linked to solar magnetic loops and chaos during solar activity.
Comparison between the Sun and nearby stars aids in understanding solar variations and forecasting impacts.
Richard Carrington's solar photography paved the way for space weather forecasting and solar safety measures.
Deep dives
Coronal Moss and Solar Flares
The Sun's corona contains a layer of moss, structured lacy patterns around loops of the Sun's magnetic field. The moss, termed as a NASA reference, is intricately linked to the sun's magnetic loops and the chaos that occurs during solar activity like flares and coronal mass ejections.
Sun's Activity and Comparison to Other Stars
The Sun's current phase is one of the most active in 11 years, showcasing increased sunspots and solar dynamics. Scientists compare our Sun to others, discovering similarities in nearby stars that help understand solar variations and forecast solar impacts like solar storms and flares.
Astronomer's Discovery and Solar Weather Forecasts
Historical astronomers like Richard Carrington pioneered solar photography, capturing intricate details of the Sun's structure and phenomena such as sunspots and coronal loops. Space weather forecasters use instruments at Lagrange points to monitor solar activity, predict solar storms, and safeguard against geomagnetic disturbances.
Eclipses, Solar Safety, and Blindness Myths
Eclipses pose risks to eye health due to harmful ultraviolet radiation, often misunderstood and exaggerated in public perception. Historical instances like individuals staring at the Sun during eclipses causing eye damage underscore the need for solar safety measures, dispelling myths about solar blindness scares.
Space Weather Forecasting and Solar Quakes
Advanced space weather forecasting techniques use solar weather instruments to monitor solar dynamics, predict solar storms, and mitigate potential impacts on Earth's communication and electrical systems. Sunquakes, caused by solar flares and magnetic activity, illustrate the Sun's influence on seismic activity and space weather phenomena.