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Welcome to the Astro Minute! I'm Lauren Smyth, and with the help of astronomer and teacher Kelli Smyth, I'll be your tour guide as we explore the secrets of the night sky sixty seconds at a time.
Welcome to the Astro Minute, where we’re exploring the universe sixty seconds at a time. I’m Lauren Smyth, and today we are looking for auroras!
Solar Cycle twenty-five is now officially at Solar Max, the peak season of the sun’s activity. It has already produced some of the strongest auroras seen in centuries, according to NASA.
When solar storms eject energy and charged particles into space, some of that material interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere causing charged particles to stream along magnetic field lines toward our north and south poles. There, the charged particles collide with atmospheric gases and cause them to release energy: oxygen in the form of red and green light, and nitrogen, blue and violet light. As solar storms rage for the next few months, we may see many more of these brilliant displays of light!
That’s your Astro Minute!