Space Weather

 

Space weather is a complex series of events that begin deep inside the Sun, and extend throughout the solar system, carried by the solar wind. Most of this weather is both invisible and benign, but occasional severe storms can shake the Earth's magnetic field and spawn aurora, electrical power blackouts and satellite outages. Click on the Text or Picture links below to learn more about what space weather is all about.

This NASA product was created, thanks to the help of mission PI's, NASA educators and a professional science popularizer. Credits

 

The Solar Interior. The origin of all the energy from the sun is deep inside its core where 600 million tons of matter turn into energy every second. ' Text | Picture

Sunspots. Sunspots are the most obvious harbingers of an unsettled Sun. Their magnetic fields hold the keys to powerful blasts of storminess. Text | Picture

The Solar Activity Cycle. Space weather comes in 11-year cycles that are in step with the ebb and flow of solar activity. Text | Picture

Solar Flares. Powerful releases of magnetic energy are the crucible of magnetic change on the Sun, leading to stupendous releases of energy. Text | Picture

Coronal Mass Ejections. The Sun ejects billions of tons of gas that travel millions of miles per hour throughout the solar system. Text | Picture

The Solar Wind. A steady breeze from the Sun acts like a conveyor belt to bring space weather to our planetary doorstep. Text | Picture

The Magnetosphere. An invisible cloak of magnetism protects the Earth from much of the Sun's storminess. Text | Picture

Plasma Clouds near the Earth. Flowing from the atmosphere or trapped from the solar wind, these clouds can be lethal to astronauts. Text | Picture

The Ionosphere. Charged particles high up in the atmosphere act like an invisible mirror to radio waves. Text | Picture

The Aurora. Curtains of colored light signal a turn for the worst in space weather. Text | Picture