SOLAR PHYSICS

The Solar Physics Group of Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Space Science Department is composed of 15 scientists involved in various studies of the physics of the Sun. The group was first assembled in the early 1970's to support NASA's Skylab program in general and the solar experiment S-056 in particular. 

Previous missions and projects that have been worked on by group members include:

The Skylab Mission 

The Solar Maximum Mission 

The SpaceLab 2 Mission 

The Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array Rocket Flights 

 

Current missions and projects in progress include:

The MSFC Tower Vector Magnetograph (TVM)

Max Millenium Observing Campaign

The MSFC Experimental Vector Magnetograph (EXVM) 

The Yohkoh Mission (ISAS/NASA)

The Ulysses Mission (ESA/NASA)

The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)(ESA/NASA) 

The Global Oscillations Network Group (NSF/NSO) 

The Sun in Time: An Education/Public Outreach Project 

Future missions and projects in development include:

The Solar-B Mission (ISAS/NASA)

The GOES Soft X-Ray Imager 

The Interstellar Probe (PROPOSED FOR 1999 ROADMAP)

Recent Solar Physics News Stories

1999/12/31 Planet Busters, Not!
1999/12/29 The Warp and Woof of a Geomagnetic Storm
1999/12/16 Solar Cycle Ups and Downs Continues to Mystify Scientists
1999/12/13 The Day the Solar Wind Disappeared
1999/10/22 Aurora Alert
1999/10/15 Solar Déjá Vu
1999/10/14 Solar Cycle Update
1999/09/02 The Sun's Sizzling Corona
1999/08/31 Solar Activity Heats Up
1999/08/12 This Eclipse is History
1999/08/10 Don't Forget the Partial Eclipse!
1999/08/10 Scientists Drawn to Midday Darkness near Transylvania
1999/08/05 There Goes the Sun
1999/07/22 Seasons of the Sun
1999/07/08 Surfing magnetic waves in the solar atmosphere
1999/06/23 SOHO spies the far side of the Sun
1999/06/02 Solar flares show their true colors
1999/05/31 "Cool" microflares could be solar hot spots
1999/03/09 Finding the "smoking gun" before it fires
1999/03/02 Future telescope could shatter solar high-resolution barrier
1998/10/19 Sunspot cycle closely following prediction
1998/10/14 "Sunquake" telescope appears to be OK
1998/10/09 SOHO opens its eyes
1998/10/05 Staring directly at the Sun: That's where the science is
1998/07/28 Radio astronomers find a lost satellite
1998/06/22 Getting a solid view of the Sun's corona
1998/05/28 Giant convection cells found on Sun after 30-year search
1998/04/21 Solar flare zaps satellite camera
1998/04/13 New sunspot cycle to be bigger than average
1998/04/02 Solar images to be made by unique X-ray telescopes