Space is a mysterious place. Various types of places and mysteries are still left to be uncovered. Earth and other planets receive heat and light energy from the sun, but there are some phenomena that are affecting humans too. One such phenomenon is sunspots. Have you heard about one? Well, today, let’s see how do sunspots affect humans or how are sunspots harmful to humans. Along with that, you will get to know about how solarflares affect humans and how the solar cycle affects human.
1. What are Sunspots?
The temporary dark spots appearing on the photosphere of the sun are known as sunspots. These spots are darker than the surrounding areas. They appear in the active regions of the sun. They usually appear in pairs. They are about the size of a planet, and they cause eruptive disruptions and emissions of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). The sunspots are indicators of upcoming solar storms. (See How Hot is the Sun?)
2. What is a Sunspot Cycle?
The disturbance in the magnetic field of the sun is cyclic. The first time sunspots were seen was in the 1610s. In 1843, the discovery of the cyclical variation in sunspot counts. According to scientists, the cycle of sunspots is 11 years. They start appearing inside the latitude bands of 30° north and 30° south; from there they start traveling toward the equatorial areas of the sun. Since the mid-1800s, there have been about 23 sunspot cycles, and the 24th is in progress. (See Does the Sun have Seasons?)
3. How do Sunspots form?
According to the European Solar Telescope, the magnetic concentrations from the deeper regions of the sun, rise towards the surface, resulting in the formation of sunspots. Their formation can take place from days to weeks, and they stay on the surface of the sun for months, after which they disappear. But you were looking for how do sunspots affect humans, right? To know the answer, read till the end. Must read 18 Fun Facts About Space.
4. What is the Temperature of these Sunspots?
The central region of these sunspots has a temperature of 3500° Celsius (6300° Fahrenheit) and is known as the umbra. This region is generally cooler than the surrounding areas. The outer areas are known as the photosphere (penumbra) and are considerably hotter than the umbra, with a temperature of about 5500° Celsius (10,000° Fahrenheit). This data was provided by the National Weather Service (NWS). (See How can You measure Temperature?)
5. What is a Solar Flare?
Sunspots are associated with strong magnetic energy. This energy is released with an intense burst of radiation from these sunspots on the surface of the sun and is known as solar flares. Solar flares are known as the large explosive events of the solar system. They occur as bright areas on the surface of the sun. The duration of a solar flare can be a few minutes or even hours. (See How many Suns are in the Universe?)
6. What is the Temperature of Solar Flares?
The amount of energy released from these sunspots can vary. The solar flares release plasma that is extremely hot due to the continuously released nuclear energy from the sun. Therefore, the temperature of the plasma erupting from the solar flares soars.
7. What are Different Types of Radiation released from Solar Flares?
Solar flares release radiation whose frequencies range from low-frequency radio waves to gamma rays that have higher frequencies. Ultraviolet radiation and X-ray radiation emitted from solar flares reach Earth and affect it. Did you happen to find out how do sunspots affect humans yet? We will come to that soon. (See How Long does it Take to Get to Space?)
8. Can Solar Flare Radiations reach Earth?
The distance between the sun and the earth is around 150 million kilometers. Due to the huge distance and other solar activities taking place in the solar system, it is highly unlikely for the particles from these solar flares to reach Earth. Even if they travel towards Earth, most of them either pass by the Earth or are too minor to cause any damage to our planet. (See What is One Trip Around the Sun Called?)
9. Do Solar Cycle affects Human?
According to the Gutenberg-Richter power law and the uncertainty in predicting solar storms, the solar cycles are divided into chaotic and non-chaotic. During the Chaotic Solar Cycles (CSCs), the radiation from these solar cycles is at its peak. The birthdates database was collected from Maine Medicaid from the years 1995 to 2004. This leads to the division of diseases caused by these solar cycles into four major categories: autoimmune diseases, neoplasms, mental or behavioral diseases, and metabolic diseases. How do solarflares affect human? Let’s see in the next segment. (See What Would Happen if There was No Sunlight?)
10. How do Solarflares affect Human?
Satellites revolving around Earth are at higher risk of damage or disruption from the particles of these solar flares. It is highly possible for the satellites to shut down for a while or for their electrical circuits to get damaged. But in the worst-case scenario, their orbits can decay due to a clash of these particles with the highly charged particles revolving in the upper atmosphere of the Earth. This leads to the breaking of the satellites, and they fall into the ocean. (See What are the Two Primary Sources of Energy that Power Living Systems?)
11. Are Sunspots harmful to Humans?
According to the space weather center, these sunspots are non-cancerous. So how do sunspots affect humans? Well, they are not harmful to humans. Here I am referring to the brown flat spots developing on the skin due to over-exposure of your skin to the sun. They most likely appear on the back, shoulders, face, and back of your hands. (See What are Some of the Importance of Light?)
12. How do Sunspots affect Humans?
Since these are just spots, they are completely harmless and do not pose any risk to your health or skin. According to dermatologists and experts, these sunspots cannot become cancerous and therefore, can be left as they are. However, they can be covered with makeup if you want. (See What Are The Benefits Of Sunlight To The Body?)
13. Can Sunspots be treated?
How do sunspots affect humans and can you treat them? It is up to you whether you want to get treatment to remove these sunspots. Some people find them unpleasant and want them removed. It is possible through self-treatment as well as professional help.
14. How to prevent Sunspots?
If you feel uncomfortable after getting sunspots and do not want them, you can try the following preventive measures.
- You can cover your exposed skin with clothing, like wearing full sleeves, covering your face, wearing socks, etc.
- Always choose cosmetics with a high sun protection factor (SPF). The SPF 30 to 50 preferably gives your skin the best protection from the radiation of the sun.
- Never miss out on applying sunscreen before going out in the sun. Also, reapply if necessary.
- Avoid using tanning beds and artificial tanning.
- Avoid going out in the sun between 10 am and 3 pm, if possible. Otherwise, keep yourself covered nicely during these hours.
So, how do sunspots affect humans by affecting satellites? There are at least nil chances of there being sunspots harmful to humans. However, solar flares affect human by affecting the network and disrupting the communication channel through satellites. But the solar cycle affects human the most by developing different types of diseases in them. (See Why it is Not Possible to Change Hereditary Conditions?)
