Ep 9. When the Sun Attacks

When the Sun Attacks is the ninth episode of the first season of the show Space’s Deepest Secrets, which explores the mysteries and wonders of the universe that has confused and fascinated humanity for centuries. This episode, in particular, takes a closer look at the sun, one of the most critical and powerful celestial objects that support all life on earth.

The show begins by showcasing how the sun, which is over 93 million miles from the earth, is nonetheless capable of affecting the planet and its inhabitants in many different ways. It sends out light, heat, and radiation that different life forms on earth have adapted to. However, as the episode shows, the sun is a truly spectacular and awe-inspiring entity that, when it is in the wrong mood, can unleash shockwaves of ultraviolet and X-ray radiation on a massive scale, causing serious harm to our planet.

The show goes on to explain how some of the most dangerous solar storms are triggered by magnetism deep within the sun's core. These magnetic fields can build up large amounts of energy that can be discharged suddenly as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are arcs of electrically charged gas particles that explode from the sun's atmosphere at speeds of over a million miles an hour. This can cause massive solar storms that can potentially wipe out power grids, fry electronics, and satellite communication systems and pose a significant risk to space travel and astronauts.

The episode also explores how dangerous radiation from the sun has become a critical concern for space explorers trying to traverse the solar system. As the show explains, while the earth's magnetic field and atmosphere shields us from most of the sun's dangerous rays, the lack of these protective features in space means that astronauts are constantly exposed to doses of damaging radiation that can potentially cause cancer and other genetic mutations.

The episode further delves into how the sun is continuously emitting charged particles called solar winds into the solar system at speeds of up to 1 million miles per hour. If this radiation were not deflected by magnetosphere, the radiation could bombard and strip the earth's atmosphere, killing all life.

Moreover, the documentary reveals how scientists currently track the sun's activities using various sophisticated instruments, including Solar Flare Monitors, Coronal Magnetometers, and X-ray Telescopes. These tools give us early warning of solar storms, but ultimately our ability to predict and mitigate the impacts of these highly energized events is still limited, which remains a major challenge for space exploration.

When the Sun Attacks is an engaging and enlightening episode that sheds light on the mysteries of the sun, a phenomenal celestial body that has fascinated and intrigued humanity for ages. The episode educates us on how solar activity affects life on earth, and the measures in place to safeguard our planet from the sun's wrath. It also highlights the role of scientific inquiry and experimental tools in generating a deeper understanding of the universe, and how they can help us explore and better prepare for what lies out there beyond our planet.