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Auroras

All articles tagged with #auroras

JWST maps Uranus’s auroras and tilted magnetosphere in unprecedented detail
space3 days ago

JWST maps Uranus’s auroras and tilted magnetosphere in unprecedented detail

JWST mapped Uranus's upper atmosphere during a ~15-hour rotation, revealing two bright auroral belts around the planet's magnetic poles and a mid-latitude depletion region, along with a three-dimensional view of ion temperature and density up to about 5,000 km above the cloud tops. The data show Uranus’s highly tilted magnetosphere drives distinctive auroral patterns and that the atmosphere has cooled since the 1990s, offering clues about ice giants and exoplanet atmospheres.

via Live Science|
#atmosphere#auroras#james-webb-space-telescope
Orbiting camera spots vivid auroras over Iceland and Canada during a minor geomagnetic storm
stargazing4 days ago

Orbiting camera spots vivid auroras over Iceland and Canada during a minor geomagnetic storm

A NASA/NOAA VIIRS satellite captured grayscale aurora displays over the Denmark Strait toward Iceland and across eastern Canada during a minor G1 geomagnetic storm on Feb. 16, 2026. The article explains auroras form when solar particles are channeled by Earth's magnetic field and collide with atmospheric gases, producing greens at mid-altitudes with possible magentas and reds at higher/lower altitudes; ground observers would have seen shimmering curtains under the right conditions.

via Space|
#auroras#denmark-strait#northern-lights
space4 days ago

Webb Telescope Maps Uranus’ Ionosphere in 3D

The European Space Agency reports that the James Webb Space Telescope used the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) to study Uranus’ upper atmosphere, focusing on its ionosphere up to about 5,000 km above the clouds and creating a full-rotation 3D map to probe the planet’s magnetic field and auroras. The measurements show the hottest regions at roughly 3,000–4,000 km altitude with ion densities around 1,000 km, offering new insights into Uranus’ enigmatic magnetosphere and ice-giant atmospheres more broadly.

via extremetech.com|
#auroras#ionosphere#magnetosphere
Webb’s 17-hour stare at Uranus uncovers baffling auroras
space-and-spaceflight5 days ago

Webb’s 17-hour stare at Uranus uncovers baffling auroras

The James Webb Space Telescope spent 17 hours peering at Uranus to map its upper atmosphere in three dimensions, revealing two bright auroral bands near the planet’s unusual magnetic poles and a depletion of ions between them. The observations show how Uranus’s tilted, offset magnetosphere shapes energy flow and auroral activity, with the upper atmosphere still cooling since the 1986 Voyager flyby, providing new insights into the dynamics of ice-giant atmospheres.

via Gizmodo|
#auroras#magnetosphere#space-and-spaceflight
JWST maps Uranus's upper atmosphere in 3D, revealing auroras and magnetic quirks
space8 days ago

JWST maps Uranus's upper atmosphere in 3D, revealing auroras and magnetic quirks

Using JWST's NIRSpec, an international team mapped Uranus's upper atmosphere in 3D for the first time, detailing how temperature and ion density vary up to 5,000 km above the clouds. The study finds peak temperatures around 3,000–4,000 km and ion-density maxima near 1,000 km, with two bright auroral bands and a magnetic-field driven depletion region. The average upper-atmosphere temperature is about 426 K (roughly 150 C), and the atmosphere continues to cool since the 1990s, offering new insight into the energy balance of ice giants.

via European Space Agency|
#atmosphere#auroras#ionosphere
NASA probes black auroras from Alaska with twin rocket missions
space12 days ago

NASA probes black auroras from Alaska with twin rocket missions

NASA launched two suborbital sounding rockets from Alaska’s Poker Flat Research Range to study the electrical environment of auroras. The BADASS mission investigated black auroras by sending instruments up to about 360 km, while the GNEISS mission used a pair of rockets to map the currents in the aurora, effectively creating a 3D view of the plasma. The data aim to improve understanding of geomagnetic activity that can affect satellites and astronauts.

via Space|
#aurora-borealis#auroras#badass
Solar storm lights up auroras from Europe to Southern California, 23-year radiation record broken
space1 month ago

Solar storm lights up auroras from Europe to Southern California, 23-year radiation record broken

A powerful solar radiation storm triggered by an X-class solar flare and a CME struck Earth, producing widespread auroras across Europe and parts of North America, with sightings as far south as Southern California. The storm peaked at G4 (severe) on the geomagnetic scale per NOAA’s SWPC. While dramatic, it wasn’t the strongest in two decades (the 2024 Mother’s Day event held that distinction), but it did set a 23-year record for solar-radiation storms.

via Live Science|
#auroras#coronal-mass-ejection#geomagnetic-storm
Earth Faces a 20-Year-High Solar Storm: What This Powerful Space Weather Means
astronomy1 month ago

Earth Faces a 20-Year-High Solar Storm: What This Powerful Space Weather Means

Earth has been hit by the strongest solar radiation storm in more than two decades, driven by activity from the Sun. The resulting geomagnetic disturbance could affect radio communications, satellite operations, and power/stability of certain technologies, while also lighting up spectacular auroras at lower latitudes. Space weather agencies are monitoring the event and the potential cascading effects over the coming hours to days, offering updates and guidance for affected systems.

via Space|
#astronomy#auroras#geomagnetic-storm
Severe Solar Storm Promises Northern Lights, with Satellite and GPS Disruptions Possible
space1 month ago

Severe Solar Storm Promises Northern Lights, with Satellite and GPS Disruptions Possible

Earth is bracing for a powerful solar radiation storm (S4), the largest in over two decades, which could spark vivid auroras across much of the northern U.S. tonight into tomorrow while threatening satellite operations, GPS accuracy, and communications. Airlines, NASA, FAA and other operators have been alerted to prepare for potential impacts from the coronal mass ejection triggered by an X-class solar flare. Auroras may be visible as far south as Alabama and northern California under clear skies, though widespread public disruption isn’t expected. Scientists warn of possible further Earth-directed eruptions in the coming week, and astronauts on the ISS can shelter in shielded areas if radiation rises.

via CNN|
#auroras#gps-disruption#satellites
2025's Most Stunning Space Moments and Discoveries
science2 months ago

2025's Most Stunning Space Moments and Discoveries

2025 was a spectacular year for skywatchers, featuring notable events such as a rare occultation of Mars by the Wolf Moon, the appearance of a 'great comet' (C/2024 G3 Atlas), the successful landing of Firefly's Blue Ghost on the moon, stunning auroras and vapor tracers, and the discovery of an interstellar comet (3I/ATLAS). These events, along with lunar eclipses and meteor showers, provided breathtaking celestial displays throughout the year.

via Space|
#auroras#comets#lunar-eclipse