scientist have work out how fast our Sun spins compared to other similar whiz , and come up that it ’s a second of a slowcoach .
In a study issue in the journalScience , researchers from New York University in Abu Dhabi looked at 40 maven alike in hoi polloi to our Sun , 13 of which they could measure the rotation of using observations from NASA ’s Kepler infinite scope .
Our Sun rotate about 11 percentage faster at its equator than at its mid - latitudes , about halfway from the equator to the perch , known as latitudinal differential rotation . The former strike about 25 days to rotate , while the latter lead about 31 days . The effect is even more evident at the pole , which spin 30 percentage deadening than the equator .
But they found this difference of opinion was more marked in other stars , spinning up to two and a one-half prison term quicker at their equators than their mid - latitude part , something hypothesis had not predicted .
" This is very unexpected , and challenges current numerical simulations , which suggest that stars like these should not be capable to nourish differential rotary motion of this magnitude , " lead generator Othman Benomar articulate in astatement .
While we ca n’t watch out these other sensation circumvolve as our images are n’t ripe enough , we can instruct about their rotation from how much they wobble – their oscillation . The team were capable to measure these wobble , a field known as asteroseismology , to see how fast these distant adept were rotating at different point on their surface .
Working out how fast a star spins is important , as it can tell us more about how its magnetized field deeds , which drives solar tempest . On our Sun , we know its rotary motion plays a key role in how it generates magnetised fields , but there ’s a spate we still do n’t recognise .
“ [ L]earning more about how stars circumvolve and generate their own magnetic fields could assist us gain further insight into the solar dynamo , the strong-arm process that generates the Sun ’s magnetic field of honor , " Katepalli Sreenivasan , a co - writer on the study , said in the financial statement .
Magnetic field of operations on our Sun are creditworthy for yield solar tempest , which can cause problems back on Earth for satellite in orbit and for power grid . If we can understand how this process work , then we can better predict when a solar storm might be channelise our mode .
At the consequence we do n’t have enough information to work out what drives magnetised action on stars . But using upcoming telescopes like ESA’sPLATO scope , due to set up in 2026 , it will be possible to monitor tens of thousands of Sun - like adept using asteroseismology , and memorise more about how this process take space .
