The 2017 solar eclipse will prove that the Sun is bigger than we think

0

Researchers that study solar eclipses believe the sun is larger than we think.

Nasa scientists claim this year’s historic solar eclipse will prove that our star is hundreds of miles larger.

sun size, size of the sun, sun larger than what we think, sun bigger than what we think, sun size larger, The 2017 Solar Eclipse May Prove the Sun Is Bigger Than We Think
Is the sun bigger than whtt we think? The 2017 Solar Eclipse May Prove the Sun Is Bigger Than We Think. via NASA

Computer models suggest that our Star, the Sun, could be a few hundred miles larger than believed. This year’s solar eclipse, which falls on August 21, could prove these predictions are true.

 

The size of the sun

In 1891, a German astronomer known as Arthur Auwers was the first to estimate the size of the sun. Based on the star’s photosphere, the body of the sun whose wavelengths are visible to the naked eye, he calculated that the sun had a radius of 432,470 miles (696,000km). This benchmark figure was widely used until 2015. In 2015, the International Astronomical Union updated this figure to 432,280 miles (695,700km) based on data from solar-observing satellites.

But now a growing number of scientists have claimed that both of these estimates are too small.

Is the sun bigger than we think?

Xavier Jubier, a researcher that creates detailed models of solar and lunar eclipses for Google Maps, said his observations suggest the sun is bigger than we think. As part of his work, he predicts where the shadow created by a solar eclipse will fall on Earth. He noticed that something was wrong with the sun’s measurements while he was comparing his previous eclipse predictions with photos taken during historical solar eclipses. Mr Jubier was able to match the location of the photographs to that predicted by his models – but only if he scaled by the sun’s radius by a few hundred kilometres. ‘For me, something was wrong somewhere, but that’s all I could say.

sun size, size of the sun, sun larger than what we think, sun bigger than what we think, sun size larger, The 2017 Solar Eclipse May Prove the Sun Is Bigger Than We Think
The sun is probably larger than what we think and the next total solar eclipse on August 21 2017 will tell us if scientists are right. Xavier Jubier simulated an annular eclipse that occurred March 29, 1987, matching his results to photos taken at the time of the eclipse. His results are able to precisely match when he combines incredibly precise data about the moon’s contours and Earth’s topography with a slightly larger solar radius. via X. Jubier / H. Guertin. via NASA

Ernie Wright, a researcher from Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who also creates precise models of solar eclipses, found himself in a similar dilemma to Mr Jubier. He too found that he could only make his models match reality if he increased the size of the sun in his calculations.

The researchers hope this year’s upcoming eclipse, which will likely be the most-watched solar eclipse in history, will provide a chance for scientists to verify the size of the sun. The total solar eclipse on Monday, August 21, 2017 will cross the continental United States beginning in Oregon and ending in South Carolina. While a total solar eclipse occurred over the continental US in 1979, the last time one such event spanned the country coast to coast was in 1918.

 

Follow us: Facebook and Twitter

Leave a reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.