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.
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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137
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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Solar storms that fling magnetism across the solar system can knock out satellites, power grids, communication and navigation systems, and endanger astronauts in space. Scientists can observe these phenomena, called coronal ...
Planetary Sciences
Aug 7, 2025
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Viewed from space, Earth at night tells endless stories. Using satellite data, we can track population growth, natural disaster damage, cultural celebrations, and even space weather.
Space Exploration
Aug 5, 2025
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Just a short distance inland from the waves crashing against California's shore, NASA's Relativistic Electron Atmospheric Loss (REAL) CubeSat mission launched into the sky, taking off at 2:13 p.m. ET on July 23 from Vandenberg ...
Planetary Sciences
Jul 25, 2025
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