NASA has just launched an exciting new mission to keep an eye on the Sun's behavior. This mission, called PUNCH, uses four small satellites working together. These satellites give us a 3D view of the Sun's outer layer, known as the corona. This is a big deal because it helps us understand and predict solar storms. Solar storms can cause big problems on Earth...
The sun's fiery outbursts are always a spectacle to behold. Recently, a space-based telescope captured stunning images of a massive burst of charged particles and magnetic fields, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), erupting from the sun's far side near its north pole. This event was captured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) GOES-19...
In May 2024, the Earth faced a powerful reminder of its vulnerability to space weather. A series of solar flares sent multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) toward Earth, merging into a major event that caught scientists off guard. This event, later known as the Gannon storm, highlighted how even smaller geomagnetic disturbances can have serious consequences. The Ga...
Ever had the chance to see the Northern Lights? Well, folks in the D. C. area might just get lucky! The sun is cooking up something special for our end-of-year celebration. A big space event called a geomagnetic storm is coming our way. This means the beautiful Northern Lights might be visible even this far south. You see, our sun influences space weather just like ...
Get ready for another exciting journey to the Moon! NASA is teaming up with Firefly Aerospace to send a lunar lander named Blue Ghost. This lander will study some cool things once it touches down on the far side of the Moon. It's part of a program called Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), where NASA works with private companies to explore the Moon. Blue Ghost...
The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) from San Antonio has landed a big deal worth $26. 1 million. They'll be designing and building two special instruments called magnetometers for NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These magnetometers will measure the magnetic field that comes from the sun, known as the solar wind. The data colle...
Get ready! This Thanksgiving, a special treat might be in store for parts of the U. S. Solar storms could paint the night sky with faint auroras. It's a fun natural show, but it depends on how strong the solar storms are. Some states are in a great spot to catch a glimpse: Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. Even the northern ...
The sun constantly releases a stream of plasma and magnetic field, known as the solar wind, that fills the solar system. This wind can cause space weather that affects our technology. Scientists use models to predict solar wind conditions a few days ahead. These models rely on observations of the sun's magnetic field. They usually assume the solar wind is steady, usi...
Space storms can cause big changes in the magnetosphere and ionosphere, leading to ground-induced currents that matter a lot for both engineering and science. Right now, we use big networks of ground magnetometers to measure this, usually set up at special observatory sites. But what if we could make this network even better? Scientists have found that adding remote ...
Ever noticed how the northern lights have been popping up more often lately? It turns out there's a reason behind this! NASA has some exciting news: the sun is at its peak activity, known as the solar maximum. This means we can expect more beautiful auroras for the next couple of years. The sun goes through an 11-year cycle, and right now, it's at its most active ph...