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Space Weather

See our amazing collection of stories and features about the increasingly important topic of space weather (aka solar storms).

Related Topics: Solar Eclipse, Aurora Borealis 

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An artist's depiction of NASA's Parker Solar Probe gathering data about the sun.

NASA Parker Solar Probe nails close flyby of sun as its space weather cycle ramps up

By Meghan Bartels

NASA's Parker Solar Probe spacecraft kicked off the new year with another close approach to the sun on Sunday (Jan. 17) as the sun's activity picks up from a lull when the probe launched.

Artist's concept showing DG CVn — a binary system consisting of two red dwarf stars — unleashing a series of powerful flares seen by NASA's Swift spacecraft on April 23, 2014.

Bad space weather may make life impossible near Proxima Centauri

By Andrew Zic, Tara Murphy

If you look up in the southern sky you can see the “pointer” stars, pointing towards the Southern Cross.

The most powerful solar flare in over three years erupted on Nov. 29, 2020.

The sun fires off its biggest solar flare in more than 3 years

By Chelsea Gohd

The sun unleashed its most powerful solar eruption in more than three years on Sunday (Nov. 29).

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft captured this view of several large sunspots in November 2020.

A Thanksgiving sun treat: Big sunspot rotates into view

By Elizabeth Howell

A group of sunspots has emerged on the Earth-facing side of the sun, just in time for Thanksgiving.

A split image shows the sun during a solar cycle's maximum on the left (April 2014) and during a solar cycle's minimum on the right (December 2019).

The sun has begun a new solar weather cycle. It should be pretty quiet, scientists say.

By Meghan Bartels

We're officially nine months into solar cycle 25, scientists have confirmed, and it will likely look much like its predecessor, which ran from 2008 to 2019.

Space junk is making low Earth orbit crowded.

Three big threats to satellites — and what to do about them (op-ed)

By Herbert O. Funsten

The more congested space is, the more contested it becomes, creating challenges for both national and global security.

DSCOVR had a prime view of a total solar eclipse that crossed the Pacific Ocean in 2016.

The DSCOVR Earth and space weather satellite is back online after a months-long glitch

By Elizabeth Howell

A disabled satellite that tracks space weather is back online after nine months of efforts to get it communicating with Earth, according to a U.S. government update.

An artist's depiction of satellites orbiting Earth.

Satellite crashes, asteroid impacts and space weather pose big risks, US lawmakers say

By Elizabeth Howell

One of the most pressing problems when it comes to keeping our planet safe from space threats is data, which sounds so simple to address. It's not.

An artist's depiction of the ESA-NASA Solar Orbiter and NASA's Parker Solar Probe studying the sun.

Our sun will never look the same again thanks to two solar probes and one giant telescope

By Meghan Bartels

It's always sunny for heliophysicists, but especially so now.

Aurora Over Abisko National Park in Sweden

Where to see the northern lights: 2020 aurora borealis guide

By Mike Wall, Elizabeth Howell

Where should you go to get the best look at the dancing, dazzling display known as the aurora borealis?

This aurora was captured on camera from the International Space Station on June of 2017.

Violent solar storms are happening closer to Earth than anyone thought was possible

By Yasemin Saplakoglu

The spectacular solar storms that paint the polar skies in beautiful greens and pinks have a darker side

A photograph of the International Space Station flying over Cape Town, South Africa.

South Africa Beefing Up Space Weather Expertise

By Meghan Bartels

South Africa's space agency has existed for just eight years, but the country wants to tackle a crucial challenge in satellite technology: understanding space weather.

An artist's view of NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, satellite. NASA has delayed the ICON satellite's planned June 14 launch due to rocket issues.

ICON: NASA's Ionospheric Connection Explorer Satellite Mission in Pictures

By Tariq Malik

An artist's depiction of the Van Allen Probes in orbit around Earth.

RIP, Van Allen Probes! NASA Ends 7-Year Mission to Explore Earth's Radiation Belts

By Meghan Bartels

Another long-lived NASA mission has come to an end, this one after more than seven years of dancing through the perilous belts of radiation around Earth.

An artist's depiction of the ICON mission in orbit.

NASA's Long-Delayed Space Weather Mission Just Got Delayed Again

By Meghan Bartels

NASA's long-awaited space weather mission is making scientists wait again — ironically, due to terrestrial weather.

An artist's depiction of the ICON mission in orbit.

You Can Watch a Plane Drop a Rocket to Launch a NASA's ICON Space Weather Mission Tonight

By Meghan Bartels

NASA hopes that the long-delayed launch of a space weather mission called ICON will finally occur tonight (Oct. 9) — but terrestrial weather concerns may scrub the flight.

DSCOVR had a prime view of a total solar eclipse that crossed the Pacific Ocean in 2016.

Stuck in Safe Mode, DSCOVR Earth-Watching Satellite May Finally Get Fixed: Report

By Meghan Bartels

An Earth-observing satellite called DSCOVR has been stuck in safe mode for three months, and its operators finally have a plan to reboot it — but not for another few months.

A closeup of the M7.6-class solar flare that erupted from the sun on July 23, 2016 as seen by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. NASA is considering two proposals that would study space weather from the sun.

NASA Eyes Missions to Track Space Weather Threats with Small Satellites

By Elizabeth Howell

NASA is considering two proposals that would study space weather from the sun, which poses a radiation threat to astronauts cruising across the solar system.

Astrophotographer Miguel Claro captured this spectacular vertical panorama or the aurora borealis from the Arctic Circle. Can you see the shape of a bird flying with a running rabbit?

Bright Green Aurora Bird Takes Flight with a Running Rabbit Over Iceland (Photo)

By Miguel Claro

Auroras offer a wonderful variety of colors and phantasmagoric shapes. A vertical panorama seems to reveal one of these epic moments, with the incredible shape of a bird flying with a running rabbit.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe observed the solar wind streaming past during the spacecraft's first solar encounter in November 2018.

NASA Sun Probe Spies the Solar Wind in 1st Birthday Photo

By Elizabeth Howell

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is preparing for another close swoop by the sun as it celebrates its first year in space.