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Planetary Science

Aurora

Definition

A natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions. Auroras are caused by charged particles from the solar wind interacting with atmospheric gases, guided by Earth's magnetic field. The aurora borealis and aurora australis are the two types.

Related Terms

Solar Wind

A continuous stream of charged particles from the Sun's corona at 300-800 km/s. It shapes planetary magnetospheres, driv...

Magnetosphere

The region of space surrounding a planet dominated by its magnetic field. Earth's magnetosphere extends tens of thousand...

Solar Flare

A sudden, intense burst of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun near sunspots. Releases energy equivalent to millions ...

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Full Glossary

Browse all 66+ space and astronomy terms.

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