NASA | IBEX Provides First View of the Solar System's Tail

NASA's IBEX has mapped the solar system's Helio Tail using energetic neutral atom imaging. The tail, composed of solar wind, plasma, and magnetic fields, forms a four-leaf clover shape due to varying particle speeds. This shape is slightly rotated, indicating alignment with the local galaxy's magnetic field. The tail's length is unknown, but it likely fades into interstellar space. Ongoing research aims to enhance our understanding of these comet-like tails.

What is the primary technique used by IBEX to map the solar system's tail?

• X-ray diffraction

• Energetic neutral atom imaging

• Infrared spectroscopy

• Ultraviolet imaging

What are the main components of the Helio Tail?

• Cosmic rays and gamma rays

• Dark matter and dark energy

• Asteroids and comets

• Solar wind, plasma, and magnetic field

How does the solar wind behave as it moves away from the sun?

• It speeds up and moves in a straight line

• It changes direction randomly

• It stops completely

• It slows down and bends back along the tail

What shape does the Helio Tail resemble when viewed from above?

• A spiral

• A circle

• A straight line

• A four-leaf clover

What happens to the Helio Tail as it moves farther from the sun?

• It becomes more visible

• It speeds up

• It aligns with the magnetic field of the local galaxy

• It disintegrates completely