1. Moriah Randle
December 18, 2012
Colloquium 5th period

2. THE SUN
• This is the sun now. On the edges of the sun, there are solar flares.
This how the sun looked before

3. What is a Solar Flare?
O A flare is defined as a sudden, rapid, and intense variation in
brightness. A solar flare occurs when magnetic energy that has
built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released.
O Radiation is emitted across virtually the entire electromagnetic
spectrum, from radio waves at the long wavelength end, through
optical emission to x-rays and gamma rays at the short wavelength
end.
O The amount of energy released is the equivalent of millions of 100-
megaton hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time! The first
solar flare recorded in astronomical literature was on September 1,
1859.
O Two scientists, Richard C. Carrington and Richard Hodgson, were
independently observing sunspots at the time, when they viewed a
large flare in white light.

4. So will the world end on
December 21, 2012?
 Scientists believe that the Earth is
overdue for a geomagnetic reversal.
However, this can take up to 5,000
years to complete and does not start on
any particular date.

5.  "Wha
t Is a
Solar S o la
Flare r F la
Web s. N.p re?"
. 19 D
 http:/ ec. 2 ., n.d.
012.
/
data sdo.gsfc
s
urce
/ .nasa
 http:/ .gov
/
/
ov/p nssdc.g
hoto sfc.n
Re so
_gal
galle
ry-so lery/ asa.g
lar.h p ho t
tml o

6.  "Wha
t Is a
Solar S o la
Flare r F la
Web s. N.p re?"
. 19 D
 http:/ ec. 2 ., n.d.
012.
/
data sdo.gsfc
s
urce
/ .nasa
 http:/ .gov
/
/
ov/p nssdc.g
hoto sfc.n
Re so
_gal
galle
ry-so lery/ asa.g
lar.h p ho t
tml o