Effects of the Sun on the Weather

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The Effects of the sun on the weather The sun: the closest star to Earth in our solar system. We have always known that the sun affects our climate because of it heating up our ozone layer, changing the temperature of our air causing the different seasons. Now scientists are suggesting that the sun also partially controls our weather patterns as well. This makes sense, however, it is a relatively new idea due to the lack of equipment and technology to study the sun up until the mid 19th century. So whether their claims hold any ground is yet to be proven as a fact. The solar cycle is the term used to describe the rise and fall of the number of sunspots; and sunspots are cool spots that are observed as being dark on the surface of the sun. The main cycle observed is about an 11 year cycle in which we experience a rise and fall of the number of sunspots on the sun. Accurate measurements into the amount of radiation put off by the sun have only been available for about the last 30-40 years or so. In these last few decades we have observed a reasonable pattern that we accept as being the pattern of the sun since the beginning of time. In the 1940’s H.C Willett investigated whether the suns solar cycle affected the earths long term wind patterns. His findings were inconclusive, however, he did see the sun as a factor in influencing wind conditions and variations. The main reason these scientists had such a hard time is mainly due to the inconsistencies in the quality of data they were receiving; therefore they came to the conclusion that there was no significant relation between the two. There are direct correlations between the sun and our weather, which are very obvious: The 4 seasons we experience. These are caused by the angle at which sunlight hits the earth and are not related to any patterns of the solar cycle. The sun also inadvertently causes storms. As
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