Tag: space weather

What is STEVE, and how is it different from the aurora?

NeRD

The aurora might be the most famous atmospheric phenomenon in our night sky, but it certainly isn’t the only one. If you’ve not yet been introduced, we’d love you to meet STEVE.  STEVE — Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement —  is an aurora-like glow that often accompanies the northern lights, yet is a distinct phenomenon, according to the American Geophysical Union (AGU). STEVE was discovered between 2015 and 2016, not by professional astronomers or physicists, but by citizen scientists in Canada chasing the aurora, according to the first study published…

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‘Potentially catastrophic’ solar storm identified in ancient tree rings

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Earth was hit by the largest-ever detected solar storm 14,300 years ago, ancient tree rings reveal. If a storm of a similar magnitude hit our planet today, it could have potentially catastrophic effects on our modern technological society. The powerful solar storm was identified by an international team of scientists studying ancient tree rings preserved in the eroded banks of the Drouzet River, near Gap, in the Southern French Alps.  Related: Yes, solar storms are increasing, but don’t lose sleep over an ‘internet apocalypse.’   By studying ancient tree rings,…

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Annular solar eclipse 2023: Live updates

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Refresh 2023-10-06T15:59:38.220Z Ring of fire solar eclipse of 2023 is one week away! The path of annularity crossing the U.S. on October 14, 2023. (Image credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio) The stage is set for one of the greatest sun events of 2023, if not the greatest skywatching event of the year!  We are officially one week away from the annular solar eclipse of Oct. 14 and is one that could potentially be visible to millions of people across the United States. While not a total solar eclipse, the annular…

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