Big Ideas
The Sun can provide a fun and exciting laboratory for exploring magnetism, gravity, light, energy, and much more! Learn how to integrate heliophysics concepts and resources into existing educational and outreach activities by exploring the Heliophysics Big Ideas below.
Framework for Heliophysics Education
Heliophysics is the study of the Sun and its impacts on Earth, the solar system, and humanity.
NASA Heliophysicists ask:
What are the impacts of the changing Sun on humanity?
NASA Heliophysicists ask:
How do Earth, the solar system, and the heliosphere respond to changes on the Sun?
NASA Heliophysicists ask:
What causes the Sun to vary?
1. What are the impacts of the changing Sun on humanity?
Big Idea 1.1 Topics
K-12, lunar eclipse, lunar phases, Newton's Law of Gravity, seasons, solar eclipse, solar system, transits
Big Idea 1.2 Topics
K-12, atmosphere, aurora, geomagnetic storm, ionization, magnetic fields, magnetic reconnection, magnetosphere, magnetotail, plasma, radio blackout, solar cycle, solar flare, solar wind, space weather, sunspots, Van Allen belts
2. How do Earth, the solar system, and the heliosphere respond to changes on the Sun?
Big Idea 2.1 Topics
K-12, biosphere, energy, habitable zone, light, magnetosphere, photosynthesis, radiation
Big Idea 2.2 Topics
K-12, heliosphere, interstellar space, magnetic fields, plasma, solar wind, space weather
Big Idea 2.3 Topics
K-12, electromagnetic spectrum, energy, light, photosynthesis, radiation, spectroscopy
3. What causes the Sun to vary?
Big Idea 3.1 Topics
K-12, coronal mass ejection, electromagnetism, energy, ionization, magnetic fields, magnetic reconnection, plasma, solar cycle, solar flare, solar wind, space weather, sunspots
Big Idea 3.2 Topics
K-12, convection, corona, energy, heliosphere, light, nuclear fusion, plasma, radiation, solar wind, space weather
Explore Heliophysics Education
Solar Dynamics Observatory
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is designed to help us understand the Sun's influence on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the solar atmosphere on small scales of space and time and in many wavelengths simultaneously. Solar images are taken by an instrument aboard SDO called the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). AIA images the solar atmosphere in multiple wavelengths to link changes on the surface to interior changes. Data includes images of the Sun in 10 wavelengths channels every 10 seconds. Because we can't see extreme ultraviolet light with our eyes, different colors are added to the data collected by AIA so that we can see the features of the Sun. Different wavelengths of light are represented by different colors.
Real-time Images of the Sun
