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Space Weather and the Sun-Earth System
Space weather begins at the Sun and its ever-expanding atmosphere. From the human perspective, things get interesting when the solar wind reaches Earth's magnetosphere and interacts with our planet's upper atmosphere. The difference between quiet and active times in the 11-year sunspot cycle profoundly influences the character of space weather at Earth and throughout our Solar System.
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When Nature Strikes - Earthquakes
When Nature Strikes - Volcanoes
When Nature Strikes: Tsunami Classroom Activity
When Nature Strikes: Wildfires - Why are they a challenge to stop?
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Explore Space Weather and the Sun-Earth System
The Sun and the Solar Atmosphere
What are the "parts" of the Sun? The photosphere, the visible "surface" ...Read more
Earth and Near-Earth Space (Geospace)
Earth's global magnetic field generates a huge cavity or bubble in space, the magnetosphere, ...Read more
Space Weather throughout the Solar System
The Sun is surrounded by a "bubble" in space called the heliosphere. In a sense, ...Read more
Quiet vs. Active Times
We tend to think of the Sun as constant and unchanging. However, most aspects of our neighborhood ...Read more
Historical Events
Full Earth and Space Science History Calendar (Members only)
Teacher Opportunities
Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)
Did you know?
Do you know what famous horror novel was written during the "Year Without a Summer"?Did you know that different cultures imagined different constellations, based on their own cultural context?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?Click on the word to find out!
Research Highlights
Geologists Uncover Major Ancient Human Ancestor in South Africa
Researchers working in South Africa have discovered two remarkably well-preserved fossil skeletons of an ancient human ancestor dating to almost two million years ago. The discovery is described in two...Read more
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Science Blogs
Real Climate: climate science from climate scientists
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.
