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REGION: North America
TOPIC: Science & Technology
Online NewsHour
FORUM
Posted: May 25, 2007

Scientists Study Space Storms

 Forum Introduction
Vassilis Angelopoulos High school students and teachers are helping collect data for NASA's THEMIS mission to study space storms. THEMIS principal investigator Vassilis Angelopoulos answers your questions.
QUESTIONS
Do other planets have auroras?
How does the Earth's magnetic field reversing impact space storms?
How much lead time does one get for viewing an aurora?
How can my students get involved in this project?
What causes the colors and shapes of an aurora?
A viewer from Hamilton, Ohio, asks
Do other planets have auroras?
ANSWERS
THEMIS principal investigator Vassilis Angelopoulos responds:

Yes, Saturn and Jupiter also have auroras--these are produced from internal processes within their magnetospheres, as opposed to the interaction with the solar wind that creates auroras on Earth. Mars may also have auroras due to the interaction of the solar wind with crustal magnetic fields (magnetic fields produced by magnetized rocks in the planet's crust).

Next Question and Answer
SCIENCE REPORTS
  Space
IN-DEPTH COVERAGE
  Main: Studying Space Storms
REPORTS
  NASA in the Classroom
RESOURCES
  Slide Show: How THEMIS Works
  Forum: Mission Scientist
FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
  Classroom Activity
  Worksheet Questions




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 National Science Foundation
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