Sun
How long is a solar/sunspot cycle?
11 years
What is the magnetosphere?
The magnetic field surrounding the Earth.
Technology orbiting the Earth (and other celestial bodies)
What are satellites?
TRUE or FALSE: No large Solar Energetic Particle events have happened during a manned space mission.
TRUE
How hot are sunspots?
4200 degrees Celcius
How is the magnetosphere formed?
Molten metal moving around the core of the Earth.
Satellites must have a certain reliability rate. What percent is this rate?
99.9%
What is the official name of the study of space weather?
Heliophysics
What is the Sun's outer atmosphere called?
What is the polar cusp?
The spots at the north and south of the Earth where there is a gap in the magnetosphere.
Satellites use a certain type of wave to transmit signals. What type of waves do they use?
What are radio waves?
On March 13, 1989, space weather caused the collapse of which power network?
The Hydro-Québec power network.
Why do sunspots form?
Strong magnetic fields emerging through the solar surface.
How do auroras happen?
When electrically charged particles from the Sun hit particles and atoms in the Earth's atmosphere at the polar cusp.
What type of storms interfere with the Global Positioning System (GPS)?
Geomagnetic storms.
How long was the blackout during the Hydro-Québec power network failure?
The blackout lasted more than 9 hours.
What is a solar flare?
An intense burst of radiation from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots.
What is the ionosphere?
The layer of the earth's atmosphere that contains a high concentration of ions and free electrons and is able to reflect radio waves.
Strong electrical currents driven along the Earth’s surface during auroral events do what?
Disrupt electric power grids and contribute to the corrosion of oil and gas pipelines.
On August 7, 1972, between what two missions was a large and life threatening solar event?
Between the Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 lunar missions.