Touching the Sun - Chris Lintott

00:00 // Introduction
00:31 // Why the Sun Matters to Us All
02:37 // The Parker Solar Probe Mission
05:56 // Understanding the Sun’s Basics
09:19 // Historical Theories of the Sun
13:42 // What the Sun is Made Of
18:20 // Fusion as the Sun’s Power Source
22:54 // How Light Travels from the Core
28:03 // Sunspots and Magnetic Fields
32:00 // Solar Cycles
34:34 // The Sun’s Corona
40:26 // The Aurora and Solar Wind
42:20 // Explosions in the Sun’s Atmosphere
46:28 // The Sun’s Complex Nature
48:26 // Studying Other Stars
50:22 // The Sun’s Outer Limits

Watch the Q&A session here:    • Q&A: Touching the Sun - Chris Lintott  

Despite its familiarity, the Sun is a very different presence from the friendly yellow circle in children's paintings. Our star is a broiling mass of plasma, with its powerful magnetic fields, twisted by its rotation, capable of producing dramatic events of spectacular beauty and power. Using results from NASA's Parker Solar Probe - the fastest moving human-made object ever - and ESA's Solar Orbiter, this spectacular lecture takes a new look at the mysteries of the Sun, and its effects on the Earth.

This lecture was recorded by Chris Lintott on 15th January 2025 at Conway Hall, London

Chris is Gresham Professor of Astronomy.

He is also a Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford, and a Research Fellow at New College.

The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/t...

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