This image shows some of the structures that make up Earth's magnetosphere.
Click on image for full size
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!
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