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| |  | | | | Sunspot 486 - An Electrically Charged Sun-Earth Event
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10.29.03
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Third Most-Powerful Solar Flare Ever Observed Erupted on October 28, 2003 |
The third most-powerful solar flare ever observed in X-ray wavelengths erupted from Sunspot 486 early October 28, 2003, at approximately 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. A coronal mass ejection (CME) directed almost straight at Earth preceded the flare, sending electrically charged gas toward our planet, say NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) scientists.
The following resources provide information about coronal mass ejections, how they affect life on Earth, and ideas for classroom activities about the Sun-Earth Connection.
Articles
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Solar Superstorm, October 2003
Newly uncovered scientific data of recorded history's most massive space storm is helping a NASA scientist investigate its intensity and the probability that what occurred on Earth and in the heavens almost a century-and-a-half ago could happen again.
+ Read more
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Cool Sites & Hot Activities
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Eight Years of Spectacular Solar Gazing - The SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft team is celebrating the 8th anniversary of its launch this December.You have a chance to help pick the top 10 SOHO images. Voting will end November 17.
+ View site
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Solar System Simulator - Create simulated images of any body from any point in space at any time in full-color graphics. Be sure to read the Simulator FAQ for tips and tricks.
+ View site
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Explore a Planet! - This Web site has lots of interesting facts about the Sun and Earth. Find out what it would be like on the Sun and even stop in to get weighed! Learn more about missions studying the Sun and then take the challenge.
+ View site
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Sunbeam Surfing - Create unique on-line X-ray movies, view real-time images of our Sun, peruse electronic flip-books filled with exciting solar facts, or utilize investigative learning activities in the solar classroom. + View site
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Ask the Space Scientist - Do you have a question about: The Earth's magnetic field? The Northern Lights? The Solar Wind? The Sun-Earth Connection? or just about anything else? Just send it to Ask the Space Scientist. + View site
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Hot Pics, Cool Movies - These breathtaking images include auroras, sun spots, Earth from space, and gusts from the Sun. You will also see features of geospace in motion -- watch as tornadoes spin, eclipses pass, explosions burst, the sun rotates, and the aurora twinkles. + View site
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On-line Educational Activities
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NASAexplores: Stay out of the Sun (K-12) - The sun is known to give off some powerful ejections and flares. Solar flares can bring a lot of disruption to our lives. Students will read over how solar flares affect us on Earth as well as our astronauts living in space. Students will be able to see if they can use the power of the sun to make S'mores, and will use cans and shoe boxes to determine how materials react to solar energy. + View activity
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Interact with NASA! |
Videos / Webcasts / Interactive
PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE invites teachers and students to understand how and why Sun-Earth Connections like those seen in the aurora can impact life on our planet by disrupting satellite communications, generating power surges and blackouts, endangering human space flight and even air travel, and ultimately affecting global climate.
http://passporttoknowledge.com/sun
Blackout! illustrates with 3D animation, the phenomenal eruptions of our Sun and their effects upon the Earth.
http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/smith.html
Living in the Atmosphere of the Sun Exhibit provides an overview of the basic elements of space weather. Contains animations which show many of the Sun-Earth Connection spacecraft in their orbits as they constantly monitor the Sun and its effects on Earth.
http://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/exhibit/movies.html
NASA Educational Products
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NASA Educational Products are available online
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Living with a Star (K-12)
This educator guide is designed to provide educators with a quick reference to materials and resources that are useful for understanding the connections between the Sun and Earth.
+ View guide
Sun Lithograph (K-12)
NASA satellites provided these images of the Sun's activities. They include solar storms, sunspots, majestic hot coronal loops and solar wind.
+ View lithograph
Earth Lithograph (K-12)
The images of Earth on this lithograph include a shot of the Pacific Ocean with the Americas, a snapshot of Earth's biosphere, a temperature map, a false-color radar image of central Africa, and an ozone hole over the South Pole.
+ View lithograph
Live from the Aurora (K-12)
This educator guide includes activities designed to challenge students into further investigating the dynamic nature of the Sun and its connection to the Earth.
+ View guide
NASA Educational Multimedia Materials
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NASA develops Multimedia Resources for Educators |
Visit the Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) which serves as the worldwide distribution center for NASA-produced multimedia materials.
CORE offers "Education Modules" which are bundled by topic and may include CD-ROMs, videotapes, educator guides, posters, lithographs, books, lesson plans, bookmarks, fact sheets, slide sets, and activity kits.
CORE has a Space Science - Sun Module available. For additional materials related to Sun-Earth click on "Search Catalog" and enter the keyword Sun-Earth.
http://core.nasa.gov
Additional Resources
NASA Space Science Enterprise
http://spacescience.nasa.gov
NASA's Sun Earth Connection
http://sec.gsfc.nasa.gov
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Images and Movies
http://sohowww.estec.esa.nl/data/realtime-images.html
SOHO FAQ: Solar Flares
http://sohowww.estec.esa.nl/explore/faq/flare.html
Solar Flare Theory
http://hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/sftheory
How on Earth Do Solar Storms Affect Us?
http://istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/exhibit/affect.html
Auroras! Mysterious Lights in the Sky
http://www.sunstories.org
Living in the Atmosphere of the Sun
http://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/exhibit
Join the NASA Education EXPRESS mailing list to receive announcements of new NASA educational publications, Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) multimedia materials and other opportunities for educators.
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