Space weather as a research area investigates the variable conditions in space driven primarily by solar activity and their impact on the heliosphere, near-Earth environment, and technological systems. It encompasses the study of the solar magnetic field, flares, coronal mass ejections, high-speed solar wind streams, and energetic particles, and how these phenomena interact with planetary magnetospheres, ionospheres, and upper atmospheres. Research integrates observations, theory, and physics-based modeling to understand and predict geomagnetic storms, radiation belt dynamics, ionospheric disturbances, and associated hazards to satellites, communication and navigation systems, power grids, and human spaceflight.
Weather forecasting is a powerful tool. During hurricane season, for instance, meteorologists create computer simulations to forecast how these destructive storms form and where they might travel, which helps prevent damage ...
Astronomy
Oct 13, 2025
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A NASA mission to study the heliosphere—the sun's magnetic bubble that shields our solar system—and develop a better understanding of space weather was launched from the agency's Kennedy Space Center along Florida's Atlantic ...
Astronomy
Sep 24, 2025
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The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's Compact Coronagraph-2 (CCOR-2) launched at 7:30 a.m. EDT on September 24 onboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) ...
Planetary Sciences
Sep 24, 2025
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A cluster of space weather satellites blasted off Wednesday morning to cast fresh eyes on solar storms that can produce stunning auroras but also scramble communications and threaten astronauts in flight.
Space Exploration
Sep 24, 2025
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A new NASA mission will capture images of Earth's invisible "halo," the faint light given off by our planet's outermost atmospheric layer, the exosphere, as it morphs and changes in response to the sun. Understanding the ...
Astronomy
Sep 19, 2025
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Much as we may treasure and proclaim our independence, we actually live in a protective bubble called the heliosphere.
Astronomy
Sep 19, 2025
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Most places on Earth have seasons because our planet is on a tilt as it orbits the sun. But our star also has its own version of seasons that affect life on Earth—and new astronomical research is helping us better understand ...
Astronomy
Sep 10, 2025
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A SpaceX launch on the Space Coast just after sunset Monday could mean the return of the unique jellyfish effect over Florida's skies.
Space Exploration
Sep 9, 2025
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NASA has launched Surya, its new heliophysics artificial intelligence foundation model to empower solar scientists with tools to enhance research and space weather forecasting. Southwest Research Institute's Dr. Andrés Muñoz-Jaramillo ...
Planetary Sciences
Aug 26, 2025
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The highest-resolution images of a solar flare captured at the H-alpha wavelength (656.28 nm) ever captured may reshape how we understand the sun's magnetic architecture—and improve space weather forecasting.
Astronomy
Aug 25, 2025
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