Click on image for animation.
Solar Rotation |
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Click on image for animation. |
The Sun rotates on its axis once in about 27 days. This rotation was first detected by observing the motion of sunspots as shown in the animation to the left. The Sun's rotation axis is tilted by about 7.25 degrees from the axis of the Earth's orbit so we see more of the Sun's north pole in September of each year and more of its south pole in March.
Since the Sun is a ball of gas, it does not have to rotate rigidly like the solid planets and moons do. In fact, the Sun's equatorial regions rotate faster (taking only about 24 days) than the polar regions (which rotate once in more than 30 days). The source of this "differential rotation" is an area of current research in solar astronomy.
A 4.3 Mb MPEG movie showing magnetic features on the Sun over a 36 day period is available here. These data were obtained with GONG solar telescope network. The movie illustrates the rotation of the Sun as well as the evolution of the Sun's magnetic elements - including sunspots. For more information on the GONG network go to the GONG homepages.
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Mail Code SD50, NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812
Mail Code SD50, NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812
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