The exact diameter of the Sun was calculated by Japanese astronomers

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

Scientists from Japan reported in April 2013 that they were able to calculate the exact diameter of the Sun. An annular eclipse was observed in North America and parts of Asia at this time. For calculations, the effect of "Bailey's beads" was used. The effect is formed in the initial and final phase of the eclipse.

At this time, the edges of the disks of both luminaries - the Sun and the Moon, coincide. But the relief of the moon has many irregularities, so sunlight passes through them in the form of bright red dots. Using a special system, astronomers calculate the data and determine the circumference of the solar disk.

Comparison of data obtained during the eclipse at different observatories in Japan, as well as existing calculations and observations obtained, including from the Japanese lunar probe, made it possible to calculate the most accurate diameter of the Sun at the moment. According to them, it is equal to 1 million 392 thousand 20 kilometers.

For many years, all the astronomers of the world have been solving this problem. But a too bright luminary did not allow measurements of its diameter, so the Sun star has not yet beenmeasured. Observing turbulent changes, studying solar phenomena, scientists nevertheless moved forward in studying this bright and very important star for us.

At its core, the sun is a ball consisting of a mixture of gases. This is the main source of energy from the Sun, which sends us light and heat. They travel a path of one and a half hundred million kilometers until some of them reach the Earth. If all its energy were to overcome atmospheric resistance, then in one minute two grams of water would raise the temperature by one degree. In former times, this value was taken as a constant solar number, but later fluctuations in solar activity were revealed, and geophysicists began to constantly monitor the temperature of water in special test tubes installed under direct sunlight. By multiplying this value by the radius of the distance, the value of its radiation is obtained.

Until now, the diameter of the Sun was calculated using the distance from the Earth to the star and the apparent angular value of its diameter. Thus, an approximate number of 1 million 390 thousand 600 kilometers was obtained. Next, scientists divided the amount of radiation they calculated by the size of the surface and, as a result, received the glow strength per square meter. centimeter.

So it was found that the strength of its glow exceeds the glow of molten platinum by dozens of times. Now imagine that the Earth receives only a very, very small part of this energy. But nature is arranged in such a way that this energy on earth is amplified.

For example, the sun's rays warm the air. As a result of the temperature difference, it begins to move, creating wind, which also gives energy, rotates the turbine blades. The other part heats the water that feeds the earth, another part is absorbed by the flora and fauna. A little bit of solar heat goes to the formation of coal and peat, oil. After all, natural chemical reactions also need a source of heat.

The energy of this star is very important for earthlings, so the success of scientists from Japan, who managed to get a more accurate diameter of the Sun, is considered a very important discovery.