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Historical context, before describing the sun as the nearest star, the only one that we can study properly with a variety of techniques from the ground and from space.
The Sun is our most important celestial object. Along history and from all over the world, the Sun was identified as a main God, the source of all energy, light and heat. This talk will bring some of this historical context, before describing the sun as the nearest star, the only one that we can study properly with a variety of techniques from the ground and from space.
We will witness the greatest spectacle in Nature, a total solar eclipse, so feared in the past, and so admired today. We will see how the sun works and what are its effects on our environment. Finally, we will explore the distant future, when the sun, as stars do, will become unstable and eventually die.
A conventional overhead projector is desirable to include a demonstration of magnetic fields in the solar corona.
Duration and Age group
This lecture lasts for about 50 minutes and it is aimed at audiences older than 8 years.
Solar Eclipse China, 1st August 2008
The images below were taken by Francisco of the solar eclipse in Yiwu, China.