EVE: Measuring the Sun's hidden variability
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 - 16:49
in Astronomy & Space
Every 11 years, the sun undergoes a furious upheaval. Dark sunspots burst forth from beneath the sun's surface. Explosions as powerful as a billion atomic bombs spark intense flares of high-energy radiation. Clouds of gas big enough to swallow planets break away and billow into space. It's a flamboyant display of stellar power.