Is it just me or the sun used be less harmful and not that strong? When I was growing up, I don't remember the sun being that sharp and "biting". I remember being able to look at the sun for a short period but now even sunglasses are not helping and sometimes in the morning when I go to work, I cannot even look towards east because the sun is so strong and blinding. Is it the sun or something is happening to the atmosphere, so it doesn't protect us much anymore as it used to?
2007-09-06 07:47:42 · 10 answers · asked by terliuke 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I agree about the result due to living in the different locations. I gew up in Europe and we had a lot of clouds. Now I live in California, US, and the skies are pretty clear here.
2007-09-06 09:53:24 · update #1
I also had a lasic eye surgery. My fiance who has a similar opinion about the sun had one too.
2007-09-06 09:54:50 · update #2
Two things:
Don't look at the sun.
Do you live in a different place to when you were young. I moved to New Zealand from UK via Saudi Arabia. New Zealand has clearer skies, less pollution, and the sun and moon both appear brighter.
Saudi, though very hot, has a lot of dust in the air from the desert, and you could easily look at the sun on the horizon. In New Zealand it is too bright to look at on the horizon.
You see, there are other factors.
Having said that, I saw a graph of sunspot acticity since records began. The amount of sunspots is an indication of solar activity, and since 1940, we have been in a period of increasing sunspot activity. They build in 11 year cycles, and the cycles have become more pronounced.
However, the next 11 year cycle is predicted to be lower, so if the solar activity over the last 60+ years is the reason for global warming, then we should see a cooling over the next 20 years.
It's going to be interesting.
2007-09-06 08:57:01 · answer #1 · answered by nick s 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Our sun has not changed in any appreciable way in well over 100,000 years, nor is it likely to. Our atmosphere however has changed GREATLY over that time. The ozone layer which filters ultra-violet radiation is somewhat depleted, and much of the heat that enters our atmosphere no longer radiates back into space as well. This last effect is colloquially called global warming and is due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide.
Other than those two factors, I don't know what might account for the brightness effect you're describing.
2007-09-06 07:57:49 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yup the sun is hotter and brighter because of it's solar flares.
In the last few (10 or so) years the sun has had more and larger therefor hotter solar flares with makes the sun hotter.
It is also what causes the most part of global warming. Well Scientist agree it causes global warming on planets that don't have people. ;o)
2007-09-06 08:06:58 · answer #3 · answered by froghugger 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I will add to what the others are saying, while the sun has not changed, perhaps you have. If you are pale, you may burn easily, and if you are myopic ( nearsighted) you may be sensitive to light. Also, certain drugs have a side effect of increased sensitivity to light (Tricor, a statin, does. I take it it and the sun feels stronger to me. )
2007-09-06 08:24:59 · answer #4 · answered by David S 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The reason the Sun lose the amount of mass that it does is because its gravitationally accelerating toward the Cencrer of the Galaxy. As the sun loses mass as per the rules of gravity its orbiatal velocity increases.
The Faster it aproaches the Nucleous of our Galaxy the greater the amount of Energy is radiatated as gravitational time increases.
2007-09-06 08:33:10 · answer #5 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If you believe in Global Warming then yes the sun has become stronger. We are getting holes in the ozone layer.
2007-09-06 07:56:04 · answer #6 · answered by Precious Gem 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
correct, this is due to a low layer of ozone. Over the years, studies have showed in antarctica that ozone levels have decreaced drastically. To read more about ozone depletion, go to this website. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_depletion
hope this helped
2007-09-06 07:55:17 · answer #7 · answered by computer whiz 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The sun has gone berserk in the past 5 years.It is shooting off so many solar flares that special lenses must be used to photograph it nowadays.It is also singing a magnetic funeral dirge that is baffling astronomers.
2007-09-06 07:56:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Hi. When you were younger your pupils probably corrected faster for bright light.
2007-09-06 09:01:20 · answer #9 · answered by Cirric 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just your imagination!
2007-09-06 07:55:34 · answer #10 · answered by Wounded Duck 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋