Solar constant: Quick Facts

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Graph showing reconstructions of long-term solar irradiance from 1600 to 2000, with two data series: a blue line for the long-term trend from modeling sunlike stars and a purple line for the solar magnetic flux model, both measured in watts per square metre.

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Topics

solar energy physical constant gravitational constant dielectric constant Planck’s constant atomic mass unit Bohr magneton Boltzmann constant universal gas constant Rydberg constant decay constant speed of light

Key People

Abbot, Charles Greeley

Charles Greeley Abbot

American astrophysicist

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Jules Violle

French physicist

Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.

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