The Sun on a beautiful day is peaceful and nurturing. But if you step outside the protection of the Earth's atmosphere the sun becomes a deadly furnace of ignited nuclear fuel. Discover how the Sun affects the Earth with aurora and magnetic storms and take a close up look at the furnace of the Sun where you will find solar tornadoes the size of North America and temperatures of more than 25 million degrees.

Lost in the flames of the Sun is the planet Mercury, stripped of everything by the violence of the Sun but none the less speeding around it every 88 days.

This Course includes the following great BONUS LESSONS:

• What on Earth is Astronomy?

• Mini-Lesson: Eclipses

• Mini-Lesson: Meteor Showers

• Mini-Lesson: Aurora

The Mighty Sun and the Cooking of Mercury

1. Objective

2. Warm-up activity

3. Size of the Sun as compared to the Earth and other planets

4. Nuclear fusion – the Sun’s energy

5. The Sun’s gravity and its effect on the Solar System

6. Temperature variations

7. Sunspots

8. Magnetic storms

9. Sun’s rotation on its axis and orbit around the center of the galaxy

10. Surface features: solar tornadoes, spicules, solar prominences, coronel loops,

11. The solar activity cycle: solar minimum and maximums

12. Solar atmospheres: photosphere, chromosphere and coronas

13. Concept of transits: transits of Mercury, Venus and artificial satellites

14. Solar eclipses

15. The Sun’s storms, the Earth’s magnetic fields and the aurora

16. Overview of Mercury’s surface and atmosphere

17. Mercury’s proximity to the Sun and temperature variations

18. Water on Mercury

19. Observing Mercury from Earth

20. Mercury’s orbital period, rotation and day-night cycle

21. Exploring Mercury with the Mariner and Messenger probes

22. Discussion of gravity assists

23. Test questions

24. Cross-curricular activities