A non-profit association specializing in
research and education in solar astronomy

• Home
• About Us
  • Research Scientists
  • Facilities
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
• PROM Workshops
  • About PROM Workshops
  • PROM 2011
  • PROM 2010
  • PROM 2009
  • PROM 2007
  • PROM 2006
  • PROM 2005
• Images & Movies
  • Images
  • Movies
• Education
  • Definition of Terms
  • The Sun: A Tutorial
• Collaborations
  • Science

OUR PURPOSE

Helio Research engages in the pure science of solar research, seeking to answer questions about the basic physical nature of solar prominences and filaments, how they exist, how they relate to other features on the Sun, why they participate in large-scale eruptions of mass from the solar surface into interplanetary space. Our specialty is research on the dynamics of solar prominences and filaments. These mysterious structures are always changing slowly and display intervals of activations when they change more dramatically. Eventually, most prominences and filaments evolve toward eruption.

OBSERVING THE SUN

The first stage of our research is observing mainly prominences and filaments with our solar telescope. We take a series images, typically 1 every 5 to 10 seconds, through a narrow band filter, allowing only light from hydrogen to pass through. The filter can also be set to a particular wavelength of light, thus showing Doppler-shifting. Changing the wavelength of the filter therefore allows us to observe the filament and prominence motions in relation to our line of sight. For example, in the colorized image on the left, blue indicates the portion of the prominence mass moving toward the observer, red indicates mass moving away from the observer.

The objective of recording all of these images is to analyze the complete three-dimensional structure of filaments and prominences. When they become activated or erupt, our goal is to understand how they change in three dimensions.

WHY DO WE CARE?

We owe our human existence to the Sun, our nearest star, as the source of life-giving energy.
Gaining an understanding of at least a part of the evolution of that energy is our goal at Helio Research.
Solar ejections affect spaceship Earth and the satellites that humans have launched from her surface.

This site offers small glimpses into the field of basic research about the sun.
Here we show you the Sun and how we observe it as an astronomical body.
We can show you sunspots, prominences, solar flares, and other fascinating features
that continuously appear and disappear from the solar surface.

Back to top