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What does it look like beneath the surface of the sun? On this episode, Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice discuss the heliosphere, the Parker Solar Probe, and solar storms with heliophysicist Lika Guhathakurta.
How do we know what’s going on inside the sun? We break down the techniques heliophysicists use to infer activity beneath the surface. Plus, how much matter has the sun lost since it began the fusion process? Learn how the sun maintains its mass despite all the energy it radiates.
We explore the sounds the sun would make if you could hear it in space. How might that sound differ between large and small stars? Can you see the boiling plasma on the surface of the sun? We discuss the heliosphere, the region outside the sun influenced by the solar wind, and how it protects us from solar radiation. How have NASA spacecraft “punched through” the heliosphere? What was the mission of the Parker Solar Probe, and what is it doing now?
How do coronal mass ejections interact with our atmosphere? Learn about how the sun creates aurora and Neil and Lika’s experiences with solar storms. Could a coronal mass ejection wipe out all electronics on Earth—or in orbit? What would happen if we had another Carrington Event, the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history?
Thanks to our Patrons Keith Edwards James Murphy, River Harlan, Dashing Design Diva, Zach Ross, Federico Varano, Mark Ballard, Andres Franco-Osorio, Pascal, Emmanuel Cooper, Silvester Dimitrov, Ryan Eldridge, Ricky Isbell, David Hall, Angela Johnson, Demetrius Goosbey II, Morris Griffing, Cole Carter, Adam Huber, J B, Don Bailey, Tom Reed, Aaron Palmer, Odin Drengr, Demba Mdoye, Clay Mattson, Jason aka asmrpeople, Sage, Angel Garcia, Richard Swenson, Rich Elkerton, Kirby Sorensen, Mike Kakeeh, Kodi, John Kremer, Dwayne Boychuk, Jordan Burnam, Brittany Johnson, Aidan M, jared higbee, Theo Chambers, Levi Furber, Kelly, Hubert Dąbrowski, Julio Cataño, StellarScout, Margot Lane, Joudi Saadeh, David Foy, Jacob Sopko, Dell Rabinowitz, and Dominic Strong for supporting us this week.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction: Lika Guhartakurta
04:00 - Helioseismology
07:41 - How Much Mass Has the Sun Lost?
13:51 - Does the Sun Make Noise?
19:19 - The HELIOSPHERE
23:47 - What’s the Magnetopause
28:27 - Leaving the Heliosphere
30:00 - Parker Solar Probe Speed Record
33:22 - Solar Deassist
34:35 - Aurora’s Farther South & Solar Storms
50:00 - Catastrophic Coronal Mass Ejections
56:52 - Missions to the Sun
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Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
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