Solar energetic particles

Hey kiddo, do you know what the sun is? It's a big ball of hot gas that gives us light and heat. But did you know that the sun can also release tiny particles that can travel all the way to Earth? These particles are called solar energetic particles (SEPs).

Sometimes, the sun can have big explosions called solar flares or coronal mass ejections. These explosions can shoot out SEPs into space. If the SEPs come towards Earth, they can be dangerous for astronauts and also for electronics on Earth.

SEPs can cause something called "space weather". Just like how we have regular weather like rain and storms, space can have its own kind of weather too. SEPs can cause "storms" in space that disrupt our satellites and communication systems.

That's why scientists study SEPs and try to learn more about them. They use special instruments to measure the particles and try to predict when they might come towards Earth. This way, we can be prepared and keep ourselves safe from the effects of space weather.