Sun: 24 - X - 13

[Qualia]

There are a number of differing theories on how the Sun functions and produces energy, but the most popular and empirically grounded is the Gas Model. Briefly, the Sun's huge source of energy is generated from a process of hydrogen fusion which combines hydrogen nuclei to produce helium.

This process can take a number of steps and if I've got it right, it follows something like this:

Step 1: Two Hydrogen nuclei - for the sake of argument we can call them protons - combine to make a single Hydrogen nuclei. In the process a neutrino and a positron are created. The former flees the Sun whilst the later collides with an electron annihilating each other and in this process energy is released:

• H1 + H1 → H2  + Positron & Neutrino.

Step 2: One of those H2 nuclei fuses with an H1 to form an H3 and this releases energy and a gamma photon. 

• H2 + H1 → H3 + Gamma photon.   

Step 3: Two H3 nuclei fuse to make one nucleus of Helium and two H1 nuclei.

•  H3 + H3 → He + 2 H1.

Anyway, here is the Sun from a 2pm session from North-East Spain.

[Steve Ward]

Great work , no easy set of spots to sketch ...