Eventually those particles whizzing out from the sun get stopped by the particles of interstellar matter coming the other way - causing a shock wave as the two gases collide.

Of course the stuff is so sparse there is nothing actually worth photographing, so NASA has to resort to computer generated pictures and artists impressions instead...

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020624.html


/Bevin

Hey Bevin or anyone else. When we lived in NY I saw a huge meteor shower. It was amazing as we saw thousands in one night. (It was so spectacular that many many people were outside watching it) This may sound ilke a stupid question but if they are burning, and whizzing at that speed, are they just too far away to not hear? Or would there be no sound because they are in "space" or something? I.E. if I could be there at the same level as a "shooting star" and exist in that same enviornment would I hear any sound of them burning or whizzing past? (My astromony knowledge is very limited as you can tell, lol)

Anybody correct me if I am wrong but I believe we only hear sound in the troposphere. Most meteors skim through the thermosphere and exosphere.

I believe that crop circles are God playing with His Spirograph.

Wikipedia article (Spirograph)

(for those who weren't lucky enough to have one of these wonderful toys as a child)

aldona

I had a Spirograph! Loved that thing! :)

I googled meteor sounds, and found this...

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/iridium_sound_000328.html

Sounds like a party to me! I'd love to hear that!

According to the article meteors start vaporizing at 60 miles. That is in the lower thermosphere. The article also says that in the case being discused, the meteor sound didn't occur until it was closer to the ground. Well within the troposphere. Space is silent.

Thanks bevin and everyone. This was interesting!

Very interesting!

Beryl