by Ken Croswell (2020 Jun 25)
For two decades, astronomers have argued over how much carbon, nitrogen, and especially oxygen lie within our closest star — a dispute with implications for the entire universe.
Link: Knowable Magazine
We Don't Know What the Sun is Made of
We Don't Know What the Sun is Made of
Last edited by bystander on Sat Mar 27, 2021 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Added article date
Reason: Added article date
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orin stepanek
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Re: We Don't Know What the Sun is Made of
Mostly Hydrogen, than Helium!
Orin
Smile today; tomorrow's another day!
Smile today; tomorrow's another day!
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neufer
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Re: We Don't Know What the Sun is Made of
READ THE ARTICLE: Knowable Magazineorin stepanek wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:49 pmMostly Hydrogen, than Helium!Mercury wrote: ↑Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:55 pm by Ken Croswell
For two decades, astronomers have argued over how much carbon, nitrogen, and especially oxygen lie within our closest star — a dispute with implications for the entire universe.
Link: Knowable Magazine
Art Neuendorffer
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Forrest White
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Re: We Don't Know What the Sun is Made of
It is taught in school - the main elements of which the Sun consists are hydrogen (73%) and helium (25%). Other elements include iron, nickel, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, silicon, carbon, magnesium, calcium, chromium, neon.
Re: We Don't Know What the Sun is Made of
From the Knowable Magazine article:
Despite the controversy, everyone agrees on the basics: The sun consists mainly of hydrogen and helium, the two lightest elements. It generates energy at its center through nuclear reactions that convert hydrogen into helium. But because of [Martin] Asplund’s work, the amounts of the next most abundant elements [oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and neon] are all in dispute.
It matters hugely. Oxygen accounts for nearly half of all heavy atoms in the universe....
Oxygen is vital in ways both obvious and not. The obvious: We need oxygen to breathe. The less obvious: More than half of the atoms in the rocks beneath our feet are oxygen. And the element played an important role in the formation of all the planets in our solar system.
Oxygen’s critical importance doesn’t end there. After all, there’s an oxygen atom in every water molecule. “Water is essential for life,” says [Katharina] Lodders. “Water was essential for forming life.” So no oxygen, no water and no life.
Despite the controversy, everyone agrees on the basics: The sun consists mainly of hydrogen and helium, the two lightest elements. It generates energy at its center through nuclear reactions that convert hydrogen into helium. But because of [Martin] Asplund’s work, the amounts of the next most abundant elements [oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and neon] are all in dispute.
It matters hugely. Oxygen accounts for nearly half of all heavy atoms in the universe....
Oxygen is vital in ways both obvious and not. The obvious: We need oxygen to breathe. The less obvious: More than half of the atoms in the rocks beneath our feet are oxygen. And the element played an important role in the formation of all the planets in our solar system.
Oxygen’s critical importance doesn’t end there. After all, there’s an oxygen atom in every water molecule. “Water is essential for life,” says [Katharina] Lodders. “Water was essential for forming life.” So no oxygen, no water and no life.