Hi 1inMany, here is a simple explanation of what happens when a solar storm hits earth and how it affects the earth´s magnetic field. ie. the magnetosphere.Posted by 1inMany (here)
Hey, guys, I watched the video of the Magnetosphere. As usual, I'm seriously lacking in expertise here, and I want to understand what I'm seeing...but don't. Can you give me a quick run through? And, as always, it is much appreciated
Much Love,
The focus is on auroras but you will get an idea on how the magnetosphere sometimes "dances".
From spaceweather.com
FARSIDE ERUPTION: Sunspot AR1402, the source of last week's X-flare and many beautiful auroras, is on the farside of the sun now. Although we can't see it, the active region is still erupting. During the late hours of Jan. 31st, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory observed this coronal mass ejection flying over the sun's western limb:
The cloud is heading in the direction of NASA's STEREO-Ahead spacecraft, which witnessed the explosion from directly above the sunspot. An initial inspection of the data suggests that no planets are in the line of fire.
If AR1402 hangs together for another two weeks, it will complete its transit of the farside and re-emerge on the Earthside of the sun. A return is unlikely, however, because sunspots rarely last for more than one solar rotation.