This image shows some of the structures that make up Earth's magnetosphere.
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Windows to the Universe original artwork.

Space Weather at Earth

Did you know that the Earth has a magnetic field? It's almost as if a giant bar magnet ran through our planet. The magnetic field of the Earth is like a huge bubble around our planet. This bubble keeps us safe from most of the solar wind that comes from the Sun.

Some solar wind particles do leak in though and combine with the top of the Earth's atmosphere. This does affect life on Earth. It creates pretty auroral lights. But, sometimes this combination of particles can have bad effects. Some of the bad effects are when electronics on satellites get "zapped" or when electrical power grids on Earth are "blacked out". This means you or I might lose power for the day!

Last modified October 30, 2008 by Randy Russell.

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Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA