When chasing aurora, have you ever felt your mindset shift? You might think of it as getting into the zone, or into the groove of the chase. “There’s this focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one… Read More »Getting into Flow in Participatory Science
Winter Field School—a culminating experience within the Eclipse Ambassadors program—was a transformative experience for participants, but the learning didn’t stop when they flew home from Alaska. A core tenet of learning to be a scientist is learning to share that science with the public. We conclude this blog post series by showcasing a few of… Read More »Winter Field School Alumni Bring Heliophysics Home
Have you ever wondered how scientists get data to learn about aurora? One way is by sending scientific “sounding rockets” into the Earth’s upper atmosphere to take measurements. One location from which these instruments are launched is Poker Flat Research Range in Fairbanks, Alaska, part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. Nine undergraduate… Read More »Science in Action: Visiting Poker Flat Research Range
With graduation season underway, we’re reflecting on the insights and experiences we would share with this year’s newly minted professionals. We’re finding ourselves inspired by the nine undergraduate and graduate students who attended the Eclipses to Aurora: Winter Field School at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. How did this experience cause them to reflect on… Read More »Poetic Wisdom From Winter Field School
This post is the second in our series on the recent Winter Field School. You can read the first post here. The aurora is an awe-inspiring phenomenon that captures the imagination and fascination of people across the world. As a common interest, it brings together many different kinds of experience and expertise. Likewise, Winter Field… Read More »Dreams fulfilled and galactic marvels unlocked as the aurora brings people together
For many across the world, seeing the aurora is a life goal, something for the bucket list. Realizing the dream of a successful aurora chase can be an awe-inspiring, profound experience. If you’ve seen the aurora, do you remember how you felt the first time you saw it dance? You’re not alone. In early January,… Read More »Warmth and awe: Winter Field School students on seeing the aurora for the first time
Guest post by Vincent Ledvina, Laura Edson With thanks to Valerie Svaldi for additional input One of the terms you’ll often aurora chasers and scientists use is “substorm.” You might hear it referring to the best parts of an aurora chase, or as something to patiently wait for. But what does it mean, and where… Read More »What is an auroral substorm?
Guest post by Aurorasaurus Ambassador Dr. Becca Robinson It may not seem ideal to spend the winter months experiencing the bitter cold polar night, but for me, the light far outweighs the darkness. My name is Dr. Rebecca Robinson (you can call me Becca) and over the course of winter seasons 2021 and 2022, I… Read More »Searching for Light in the Arctic Night
On October 10-11, 2024, the aurora danced through skies across the globe. The storm was driven by a large, fast coronal mass ejection that had launched directly at the Earth about 38 hours before, and was heralded by a long-duration, very strong X1.8 class solar flare. During both the October and May 10-12 storms, the… Read More »Aurora World Tour—Again!
You never forget your first aurora; it’s an awe-inspiring experience! But not everyone who loves the aurora gets to see it often. One reason collaborations between aurora scientists and aurora chasers are so strong is that each brings different knowledge to the study of the northern and southern lights. Many aurora scientists have not had… Read More »A space weather analyst falls in love with the aurora all over again