NOVA LAB Activity_The Sun_Challenge_ford
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John A. Logan College *
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102
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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2
Uploaded by ChancellorLyrebird2979
NOVA SUN LAB CHALLENGE
In the second part of the Nova Sun Lab, you will complete the challenge of predicting solar storms by counting the
sunspots. Open the link at
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/sun/research
Part I
Follow the instructions in the solar cycle tab. It will discuss how to count groups of sunspots and the number of sunspots
within a group.
1.
You will get the following dates to practice. Once you have finished estimating sunspots for all of them, take a
screenshot and paste it on your report.
(Note: the back button does not work, so make sure not to click next unless
you are finished.)
Sunspot Number (R)
Dates
Your Estimate
Scientific Estimate
December 2010
22
22
March 2011
27
31
July 2011
62
54
October 2011
49
69
January 2012
52
97
2.
How well do your estimates compare with the scientific estimates? Were they consistently lower or higher than
the scientific estimates? Why do you think the estimates are different?
My estimates do not compare well with the scientific estimates. Some were higher and some were lower than the
scientific estimates, majority were lower. The estimates were different because I had a hard time zooming in to
see how many spots there were, and it is hard to see what they are truly grouping as a spot.
3.
Click next to view the graph between sunspot numbers and year. How do your estimates relate to the graph?
Based on the overall trend, when do you think that will be?
My predictions correlated with the graph, which is in an incline in 2011. I think the next solar maximum would
have been in 2020, because the graph shows a pattern every ten years.
Part II
Next, follow the Strom Prediction tab instructions to learn the differences between sunspots and how to use them to
predict the solar storm. The following scenarios are discussed-- Huge Spots, complicated Spots, Rapid Growth, Mixed-Up
Magnetic Fields, and Threatening Filaments.
1.
Write what you learned about them and how they help predict solar storms for each one of them.
I learned that the larger the sun spot the greater potential for a solar storm. Which helped me predict which one was
more likely to happen first by comparing size.
2.
Each case is accompanied by an example in which you vote. How many out of five did you get correct?
I got four out of the five correct.
Upload the completed report to the respective D2L folder.
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