Aired
April 25, 2012
NOVA
NOVA
Secrets of the Sun #S39E19
It contains 99.9 percent of all the matter in our solar system and sheds hot plasma at nearly a million miles an hour. The temperature at its core is a staggering 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. It convulses, it blazes, it sings. You know it as the sun. Scientists know it as one of the most amazing physics laboratories in the universe. Now, with the help of new spacecraft and Earth-based telescopes, scientists are seeing the sun as they never have before and even recreating what happens at its very center in labs here on Earth. Their work will help us understand aspects of the sun that have puzzled scientists for decades. But more critically, it may help us predict and track solar storms that have the power to zap our power grid, shut down telecommunications, and ground global air travel for days, weeks, or even longer. Such storms have happened before—but never in the modern era of satellite communication. "Secrets of the Sun" reveals a bright new dawn in our understanding of our nearest star—one that might help keep our planet from going dark.
Episode 19 of Season 39 from NOVA — available to stream in HD on any device.
Comments & Discussions
Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Recommended
Because you liked NOVA
Palu Ailesi: Karanlık Sarmal
The Palu Family: Under a Dark Spell
In The Eye of the Storm: Chasers
In The Eye of the Storm: Chasers
K-Everything: A CNN Original Series
K-Everything: A CNN Original Series
The Nightmare Upstairs: What Happened to Ty and Bryn?
The Nightmare Upstairs: What Happened to Ty and Bryn?
The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch
The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch
Kevin McCloud's Listed Britain
Kevin McCloud's Listed Britain
James.
James.
Deadly Devotion
Deadly Devotion
Rafa
Rafa
Peelers: The PSNI for Real
Peelers: The PSNI for Real
Explore Content
Search for movies, TV shows, collections, manga, or people
Trending Now