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The researchers said yesterday, Thursday, that a survey of 369 sun-like stars, in terms of surface temperature, size and period of rotation around the axis, showed that the change in brightness with other stars exceeds that of the sun five times on average. .
“This change is caused by dark spots on the star’s surface during rotation,” said Timo Reinhold, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany and a research leader published in the journal “Science”. “The number of sunspots on the surface is a direct measure of solar activity,” he added.
The sun is essentially a hot ball of hydrogen and helium, a medium-sized star that formed more than 4.5 billion years ago and is now almost halfway through its life. The sun’s diameter is approximately 1.4 million km, while its surface temperature is around 5500 ° C.
Reinhold said: “The temperature and duration of rotation around the axis are believed to be the main components of the dynamo within the star, which generates its magnetic field and ultimately the number of points that cause the change of the brightness and their sizes. The presence of such stars with measurements very similar to our sun but they are more variable. ” Five times of them is amazing. “
The increased magnetic activity associated with sunspots can cause solar flares, massive plasma and magnetic field emissions from the outer end of the solar atmosphere, and other electromagnetic phenomena that can affect Earth. For example, satellites and communications can be affected and endanger astronauts. The monotony of solar activity can be a good thing.
Reinhold said: “Having a super active star would definitely change living conditions on the planet, so living with a very boring star is not the worst option.”
(Reuters)
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