Satellite quintet catches Earth's magnetic field oscillating
Five spacecraft from two ESA missions
simultaneously encountered large oscillations in Earth’s magnetic field as
they traveled around the planet’s night side on Aug. 5, 2004. They still
don't know what it was!
Five spacecraft from two ESA missions simultaneously encountered large oscillations in Earth’s magnetic field as they traveled around the planet’s night side on Aug. 5, 2004.
According to a statement about the incident just released by the space agency, the cause of the phenomenon observed by the spacecraft remains unknown, but scientists are hopeful the data eventually will provide important clues about the effects of space weather.
At about 15:30 Central European Time on that date, something set the trailing edge of Earth’s magnetosphere quivering. “It was like the waves created by a boat traveling across a lake,” said lead researcher Tielong Zhang of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
Googling around, I happened upon this aurora image — photographed by Stan Richard in Wisconsin — that night.
Posted: Sat - April 1, 2006 at 07:37 AM