Tag: Heliophysics
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X-ray Glow from Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS Reveals Hidden Solar Wind Dance
Two X-ray Perspectives Unveil a New View of Interstellar Travel An unprecedented discovery has put interstellar visitors in the spotlight: astronomers have detected a distinct X-ray glow from the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, extending about 250,000 miles into space. This marks the first time scientists have captured two separate X-ray views of a body that originated…
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Parker Solar Probe Reveals 2D Maps of the Sun’s Invisible Corona
New Window Into the Sun’s Outer Atmosphere In a milestone for solar science, NASA has produced detailed two-dimensional maps of the sun’s corona—the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. Crafted from years of close solar passages by the Parker Solar Probe, these maps reveal the corona’s complex structure at moments of peak solar activity, offering…
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Parker Solar Probe Captures Solar Wind U-Turn: New Clues from the Sun
What the Parker Solar Probe Found NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has delivered the clearest look yet at solar wind material that curls away from the Sun and then makes a surprising U-turn, returning toward the star. This striking behavior helps scientists observe the complex choreography of solar wind as it escapes the Sun’s outer atmosphere,…
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Finding the point of no return: mapping the Sun’s shifting, spiky boundary for the first time
Introduction: A closer look at the Sun’s untamed edge For the first time, scientists have produced highly detailed maps of the Sun’s outer atmosphere—the boundary where solar material breaks away from the Sun’s magnetic grip and flows into space. This shedding boundary, marked by a juggling of magnetic fields and fast-moving particles, is not a…
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Finding the Point of No Return: Mapping the Sun’s Shifting Outer Boundary for the First Time
Unveiling a solar frontier For the first time, scientists have produced detailed maps of the Sun’s outer atmosphere—the tenuous edge where solar material breaks free from the Sun’s magnetic grip and streams into the solar wind. This boundary, long speculated about by solar physicists, is not a fixed line but a dynamic, spiky frontier that…
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First Detailed Map of the Sun’s Outer Atmosphere Boundary
Introduction: A landmark in solar physics In an advance that changes how we understand the Sun’s influence on the solar system, scientists have produced the first highly detailed maps of the Sun’s outer atmosphere boundary. This boundary, where solar material begins to break free from the Sun’s magnetic grip and stream into space, has long…
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Solar Orbiter Captures First Close-Up of the Sun’s Magnetic Engine Near the South Pole
Overview: A New View into the Sun’s Magnetic Engine The European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter has delivered a milestone observation: the first close-up glimpse of the sun’s magnetic field near its south pole. This new view provides scientists with a direct look at how magnetic fields churn and rearrange themselves at the star’s extremes, offering…
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Twisting Magnetic Waves on the Sun Could Reveal Clues to Coronal Heating Mystery
Scientists Spot Twisting Magnetic Waves on the Sun In a breakthrough for solar physics, researchers using the world’s most powerful solar telescope report seeing small-scale, twisting magnetic waves in the sun’s atmosphere. The discovery, described as a potentially pivotal clue in the decades-long coronal heating puzzle, could illuminate why the sun’s outer atmosphere—the corona—becomes millions…
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Helio Highlights: The Sun and Our Lives
The Sun and Our Lives: Why This Matters On a clear night, thousands of stars glitter in the sky, but during the day there is one constant: the Sun. Its proximity—about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers)—makes it not only the nearest star but also the energy engine that powers life on Earth. Astronomers measure…
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NASA’s Three Missions to Study Solar Impact on Earth
Understanding the Sun’s Dual Role The Sun, a magnificent star at the center of our solar system, is essential for life on Earth, providing warmth and light. However, it also poses threats through solar storms that can disrupt our technology. Recognizing this duality, NASA has launched three new missions aimed at unraveling the complexities of…