The Solar Wind

When the solar wind reaches Earth, only a small percentage of the wind’s energy penetrates Earth’s magnetic field. But the energy that does enter is enough to create the brilliant aurora around Earth’s poles and to endanger many of our high technology systems.

The solar wind pushes and stretches Earth’s magnetic field into a vast, comet-shaped region called the magnetosphere. The magnetosphere and Earth’s atmosphere protect us from the solar wind and other solar and cosmic radiation.

The Space Weather Center is part of the National Space Weather Program, with funding provided by NASA and the National Science Foundation.