What is the heliosphere?
Introductory Level Guiding Question
Big Idea 2.2-
Educator Background
Earth has spheres (land, water, air, living things) and Earth is part of the Sun system, called the heliosphere. Most systems are inside the Earth, but the heliosphere is all around Earth and the entire solar system. The heliosphere is the region of space that is influenced by the solar wind, and other particles from the Sun. It is everything that the Sun touches!
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Connect to Heliophysics
Connect to the Sun by introducing the heliosphere into students’ model of Earth’s systems. While the heliosphere is not explicitly identified in the standard, it is implied because none of Earth’s systems could exist without the Sun. The heliosphere is defined by the reach of the solar wind (energized particles from the Sun), and not simply by the reach of the Sun’s light or heat. While conceptualizing solar wind at this level is not appropriate, you can make an analogy with Earth wind in that we can’t see wind, but we can still measure it.
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Extend Exploration
Extend student exploration by examining the extent of the heliosphere. The heliosphere extends out into space 123 Astronomical Units (AU) from the Sun, far beyond Pluto, which is only 39 AU from the Sun. Make sure students understand what an AU is. It is defined by the distance of Earth from the Sun, which is 93 million miles (1AU = 93 million miles, or 150 million km). Consider adding the heliosphere to a scale model of the solar system.
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Heliophysics Resouce Database
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