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Science Friday > Archives > 2003 > November
> November 14, 2003:
Hour One: Space
Science Update: Solar Storms, Voyager
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Last month, several powerful solar eruptions produced dramatic
displays of the Northern Lights, and threatened satellite communications
and power generation systems. Although there were few major
effect back on Earth, the unusually powerful fireworks on the
sun served to call attention to the field of space weather.
In this hour of Science Friday, we'll find out more about the
recent solar activity, as well as new data from the Ulysses
program, a mission designed to study the solar atmosphere.
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An ultraviolet-wavelength picture of the sun from the ESA/NASA
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, Oct. 23, 2003. (image courtesy
NASA/SOHO team)
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Plus, we'll talk about the travels of the far-flung Voyager 1 space
probe. The craft is now over 90 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun
-- about 8.4 billion miles away from home. Recent data collected by
the craft indicate that it may be approaching an area in space known
as the 'termination shock,' in which the solar wind crashes into charged
particles flowing in interstellar space. Some say the data from the
craft hints that Voyager 1 may be reaching the edge of our solar system.
We'll find out more. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255
(2-3 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).
Guests:
Louis Lanzerotti
Consulting Physicist
Bell Laboratories, Lucent
Technologies
Distinguished Research Professor, Department
of Physics
Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, New Jersey
Edward Smith
NASA Project Scientist, Ulysses
Mission
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, California
Merav Opher
Research Scientist
Caltech Postdoctoral Scholar
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, California
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
Ulysses
ESA
- Science - Ulysses overview
Today's
Space Weather
Space
Environment Center, NOAA, US Dept of Commerce
The
Sun's Effects on Earth
Space
Weather and solar weather FAQ
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- Voyager
data movies
Voyager
NSSDC:
Voyager Project Information
NASA
says craft may have left solar system
Voyager
Spacecraft Approaches Solar System's Final Frontier
Voyager
1 Probes 'Final Frontier'
This segment produced by Karin
Vergoth
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