Astronomy Review: The Sun

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Across
  1. 4. When solar flares disrupt the ionosphere, cutting off long-distance radio communication.
  2. 7. A continuous outflow of charged particles from the Sun that shapes planetary magnetospheres.
  3. 8. Explosive releases of energy from tangled magnetic fields, disrupting satellites and power grids.
  4. 10. The phenomenon where different latitudes of the Sun rotate at different speeds, twisting its magnetic field.
  5. 19. A surge of high-energy particles from the Sun that can endanger astronauts and satellites.
  6. 21. A thin atmospheric layer that glows red during solar eclipses but remains hidden otherwise.
  7. 22. Massive solar eruptions hurling charged particles into space, capable of triggering geomagnetic storms.
  8. 24. The Sun’s ghostly halo, mysteriously hotter than its surface and visible only during a total eclipse.
  9. 26. A turbulent region where hot plasma rises and cooler plasma sinks in a never-ending cycle.
  10. 27. Earth’s protective shield, deflecting harmful solar radiation and preventing atmospheric erosion.
  11. 28. The vast, tenuous region between stars, containing gas, dust, and cosmic rays beyond the heliosphere.
Down
  1. 1. The process of smashing atomic nuclei together to unleash vast amounts of energy, powering stars.
  2. 2. An 11-year pattern of waxing and waning solar activity, marked by fluctuating sunspot numbers.
  3. 3. A region where photons play an endless game of "pass the energy," taking thousands of years to escape.
  4. 5. The peak of the solar cycle, when sunspots and flares are at their most intense.
  5. 6. Energy traveling in waves, from radio signals to X-rays, all emitted by the Sun.
  6. 9. The study of the Sun’s vibrations, helping scientists understand its inner workings.
  7. 11. Tiny, nearly massless particles streaming from the Sun, passing through matter unnoticed.
  8. 12. Temporary dark regions on the Sun that appear cooler but indicate intense magnetic activity.
  9. 13. The vast, bubble-like region dominated by the Sun’s influence, shielding the solar system from interstellar space.
  10. 14. A temporary disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field caused by intense solar activity.
  11. 15. The Sun’s visible "surface," though it’s not solid, and the source of most sunlight.
  12. 16. The dominant fusion process in the Sun, converting hydrogen into helium with energy release.
  13. 17. The Sun’s powerhouse where atoms collide under extreme pressure, generating immense energy.
  14. 18. The fourth state of matter, consisting of superheated, electrically charged gas found in the Sun and stars.
  15. 19. A technique that breaks light into its components, revealing the Sun’s composition and activity.
  16. 20. Nature’s neon lights, created when solar particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere at high latitudes.
  17. 22. Gaps in the Sun’s outer atmosphere where the solar wind escapes at high speeds.
  18. 23. A lull in the Sun’s activity, with fewer sunspots and reduced solar storms.
  19. 25. Loops of plasma that extend from the Sun’s surface, often lingering for days before collapsing.