By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept

Science, Space & Technology

Space Science Digital
Contact
Search
  • Home
  • Environment

    200-foot asteroid 2023 DZ2 to pass closer than moon

    March 17, 2023

    Navigate a new Mars map of craters and volcanoes

    April 6, 2023

    Martian moon Deimos image reveals far side for 1st time

    April 25, 2023

    Jammed radar boom on Jupiter-bound Juice probe finally freed

    May 12, 2023
  • Space Flight

    Hubble Space Telescope images are being spoiled by satellite trails

    March 2, 2023

    Crew Dragon splashes down to close out 157-day mission

    March 12, 2023

    Rocket Lab’s Electron deploys two Capella radar satellites

    March 17, 2023

    NASA’s Artemis I mission has ended as Orion splashed down on Earth

    December 11, 2022
  • Cosmology

    Why are small black holes more dangerous than big ones?

    February 14, 2023

    Want Artemis to Succeed? Virtual Reality Can Help

    March 9, 2023

    Planets Might Protect their Water Until their Star Settles Down

    March 17, 2023

    Hypervelocity Stars Teach us About Black Holes and Supernovae

    March 23, 2023
  • Latest
  • About Us
Reading: Equinox on March 20 means stunning auroras are coming. Here’s why
Share
Aa
Space Science DigitalSpace Science Digital
  • Environment
  • Space Flight
  • Cosmology
  • Technology
Search
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Environment
    • Technology
    • Cosmology
    • Space Flight
  • More Foxiz
    • Blog Index
    • Forums
    • Complaint
    • Sitemap
Follow US
© 2023 Space Science Digital. All Rights Reserved.
Space Science Digital > Blog > News > Equinox on March 20 means stunning auroras are coming. Here’s why
News

Equinox on March 20 means stunning auroras are coming. Here’s why

By Jayden Hanson March 19, 2023 5 Min Read
Share

[ad_1]

Longtime aurora watchers will know the Earth’s two equinoxes — late March and late September — mark the most colorful times of the year. Aurora hunters claim that, to look to the night sky in search of these beautiful displays, the dates around the equinoxes are the best.

Science supports their wisdom. The data show (opens in new tab) that auroras peak around the two equinoxes and, on the other hand, auroras decline around June and December, the two solstices. The sun, of course, is not tied to Earth’s rotation. So scientists have long tried to understand what ties geomagnetic storms — and the resulting auroras — to the calendar.

Their most common answers point to the alignment of Earth’s magnetic field. Although Earth’s magnetic poles don’t match its geographic poles, they’re still slanted with respect to the sun. Twice a year, around the equinoxes, Earth’s orbit then brings this tilted field into prime position to receive the charged particles that cause the auroras.

Related: Northern lights (aurora borealis): What they are & how to see them
Read more: What is an equinox?

Scientists don’t agree on a full-color picture of how auroras form, but they are certain auroras come from solar wind and its ‘gusts,’ like solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Charged particles stream away from the sun and wash over Earth, whose magnetic field draws them toward high latitudes. These high-energy particles crash into and excite the atoms of Earth’s upper atmosphere, creating the bright displays that cascade across the sky.

Auroras are only one aspect of the tempests that these particles brew up as they blow over Earth. So-called geomagnetic storms surge in strength and number twice a year, indeed, around the equinoxes. According to data (opens in new tab) from the British Geological Survey, on average, a sizable magnetic storm happens on nearly twice as many days in March as in June or July.

In 1973, geophysicists Christopher Russell and Robert McPherron proposed (opens in new tab) what would become the most accepted explanation of why Earth experiences more magnetic activity at these times of year. Today, scientists call it the Russell-McPherron effect.

Russell and McPherron determined that the answers lay in how the sun and Earth’s respective magnetic fields meet each other. The tilt of Earth’s magnetic field means that they’re largely misaligned. As the solar wind comes across Earth, the disjunction deflects much of it away from the planet.

They looked at what scientists call the field’s azimuthal component: The direction that, from Earth’s perspective, goes up and down through the planet’s poles. As Earth approaches the equinox in its orbit, Earth’s azimuthal component lines up with the sun’s.

an illustration depicting how the Earth's tilt affects the seasons

Illustration depicting how the axial tilt of the Earth determines the seasons. (Image credit: Photon Illustration/Stocktrek Images)

In itself, this alignment wouldn’t open Earth to the solar wind. However, the two magnetic fields end up pointing in opposite directions. The result is guided by similar physics to that which causes the opposing ends of two bar magnets to align. Around the equinoxes, more of the solar wind gets through, resulting in stronger geomagnetic activity — by extension, more brilliant auroras.

The Russell-McPherron effect is the most popular explanation among scientists, but it may not be the only cause. It’s also known that, at the equinoxes, the Earth’s magnetic poles fall into a right angle to the direction of the solar wind’s flow, making the solar wind more potent. Scientists call this the “equinoctial effect.”

Ultimately, there’s still much scientists don’t know about what causes auroras. They aren’t sure what exactly happens between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field to trigger them. 

In the meantime, auroras’ beautiful, unpredictable light shows continue to stream across the sky.

Follow us @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab), or on Facebook (opens in new tab) and Instagram (opens in new tab).



[ad_2]

TAGGED: auroras, coming, equinox, Heres, March, Means, Stunning

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Jayden Hanson March 19, 2023
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

[mc4wp_form]

HOT NEWS

Hubble Space Telescope images are being spoiled by satellite trails

Space Flight
March 2, 2023

Is that this black gap jet making stars explode?

Again to Article Listing Greater than twice the anticipated quantity of novae have been discovered…

October 27, 2024

NASA Says Spacecraft Crash Test Successfully Changes Asteroid’s Orbit

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacecraft that plowed into a small, harmless asteroid millions…

October 11, 2022

World-Saving Spacecraft Passes Test

NASA says its DART spacecraft successfully shifted the path of an asteroid. For us earthlings,…

October 11, 2022

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Proposed CASTOR Area Telescope Waits on Authorities

The proposed Canadian led Cosmological Superior Survey Telescope for Optical and uv Analysis, generally referred to by its acronym CASTOR,…

News
October 27, 2024

Dwelling (Alone) on Mars: Actor Daniel Stern on main NASA in ‘For All Mankind’

If there's certainly a multiverse the place in each attainable end result occurs, then in a type of universes Marv…

News
December 23, 2023

China Spacewalk: Photo voltaic Panel Restore Check

Picture credit score: China Nationwide Area Administration (CNSA)/China Central Tv (CCTV) The primary extravehicular exercise of the Shenzhou-17 mission was…

News
December 23, 2023

Watch large loop of plasma dance above the solar in gorgeous video

Miguel Claro is an expert photographer, writer and science communicator primarily based in Lisbon, Portugal, who creates spectacular pictures of…

News
December 23, 2023
We use our own and third-party cookies to improve our services, personalise your advertising and remember your preferences.
  • Jobs Board
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Exclusives
  • Learn How
  • Support
  • Solutions
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Editorial Policy
  • Marketing Solutions
  • Industry Intelligence

Follow US: 

Space Science Digital

Welcome to spacescience.digital, A source for the latest news and developments in the exciting field of space science. Our blog covers a wide range of topics, from the latest space missions and discoveries to updates on technology and scientific breakthroughs. We are passionate about sharing the wonders of the universe with our readers and providing them with engaging and informative content. Join us on this fascinating journey as we explore the mysteries of space and the frontiers of human knowledge.

© 2024 Space Science Digital. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?