First Full Mapping of Near-Earth Plasma Transport Achieved, Thanks to the Van Allen Probes

Posted on January 10, 2017January 10, 2017 by aurorasaurus

Maps are developed to best describe what surrounds us. That is true on the ground, and it is also true in space. To detail traffic in space, we must know both the magnetic field and the electric field: how strong are they? In what direction are they pointing? But unlike the magnetic field, the electric field is very difficult to measure, especially close to Earth! Using data from the Van Allen Probe satellites, we managed to make the first ever comprehensive observations of plasma transport due to the electric field close to Earth. This is a technical feat that allows us to test our 50 year old theories, at last!

Check out Virtual Reality Aurora!

Posted on November 1, 2016 by aurorasaurus

Aurora only occur in particular areas of the world and are highly unpredictable which are some of the reasons why many people feel fortunate to see them at all. And, for the majority of known human history, you could only experience the beauty and mystique of aurora in person. Not anymore! Recently, the first virtual[…]

Which processes in space cause these mysterious auroral beads?

Posted on September 26, 2016March 14, 2017 by aurorasaurus

This post is written by Aurorasaurus guest blogger Nadine Kalmoni, a PhD student at Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London in the UK. The first time I saw this incredible image of the aurora (Figure 1) was just before Christmas of 2015 as a twitter post by a member of the public. I remember thinking, “Wow!” Photos and[…]

Ca. ~1940. Credit: L. Evers of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute

Snap, crackle, pop! Care for some sound with that aurora?

Posted on September 9, 2016March 14, 2017 by aurorasaurus

This is a post by our guest blogger this month, Justin Oldham, who is a former graduate student from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an instructor at the University of New Mexico. While studying aurora-related acoustics in Alaska I frequently encountered people who’d heard the northern lights during particularly intense displays on very still[…]

Here’s what you told us about the many types of aurora seen in 2015

Posted on August 25, 2016December 7, 2017 by aurorasaurus

Thank you to those of you who contributed to auroral science in 2015! We’re excited to share some highlights of what we all collectively saw last year in the skies based on when you reported “Yes, I saw aurora!” Thanks for reporting through our form on our website – the answers you submit to each[…]

Space Weather at our Doorstep: How Can We Detect it?

Posted on July 29, 2016March 14, 2017 by aurorasaurus

Identifying Space Weather Phenomena Space weather is a complex field of study and can be a difficult term to define. According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), space weather is described as the variations in the space environment between the sun and Earth. Other planets have space weather, too. In fact, we have been[…]

How we are improving real time alerts, and your viewing lines

Posted on July 14, 2016March 14, 2017 by aurorasaurus

For hundreds of years, aurora sightings have left people intrigued – for both their beauty and unpredictability. In any moment, they can surprise us as bright flashes of light in the night sky, dark above us. They appear like unexpected gifts, made of colorful swaths of light, dancing above us. In a dance that sometimes looks more like[…]

Aurora Orders of Magnitude

Posted on June 28, 2016March 14, 2017 by aurorasaurus

Think you already know a lot about Aurora and orders of magnitude? Or, want to see where you land before you learn more? Test your knowledge, here! Have you looked into the sky at stars or the moon and wondered how far away they were? Outer space is large, beyond belief. Outer space is so[…]

A pegboard with wooden dowels, an LED tea light, and a can lid (weighted with pennies covered by black duct tape and wrapped with foil). Note construction can be much improved.

Make Your Own Aurora

Posted on May 6, 2016May 11, 2016 by aurorasaurus

This post is available for re-posting on MAKER blogs. Please contact us at aurorasaurus.info@gmail.com to let us know. This post will share with you a new educational Maker idea for a hands-on fun aurora demonstration… but first, the motivation. Over 300,000 people attended the 2016 USA Science and Engineering festival in Washington, D.C. in April![…]

An excessively rare image capturing the aurora, red sprites, and a lightning storm in the same frame over Minnesota in May 2013 (Image Credit: stormandsky.com).

It’s a bird, it’s a plane — no, it’s a sprite!

Posted on April 14, 2016April 14, 2016 by aurorasaurus

Sprites are not too unlike auroras. Both are visually magnificent natural phenomena that can send shivers down your spine when you see them. In this blog post, Aurorasaurus member Burcu Kosar talks about the emerging field of study of sprites.