NASA wants to better understand the unique behaviour of the auroras, known as the Northern Lights, by launching rockets into the night sky in Alaska. As unrealistic as it may sound, this initiative could unravel the mystery of phenomena such as why auroras sometimes pulsate, sometimes pulse, and sometimes form holes. Details in our news…

NASA wants to solve the mystery of the auroras known as the Northern Lights with rockets

In a nutshell, auroras are created when charged particles emitted from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field. However, it is not fully understood why these light shows move in different ways. NASA’s research will answer questions such as why auroras sometimes flash rapidly, sometimes pulse, and sometimes form dark regions.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre will conduct two special missions from the Poker Flat Research Base in Fairbanks. The first mission, Ground Imaging to Rocket Investigation of Auroral Fast Features (GIRAFF), will study fast flashing and pulsating auroras. As part of this mission, rockets will be equipped with instruments that measure the collision of electrons from the Sun with electrons in the Earth’s magnetosphere.

The second mission is called ‘Black and Diffuse Aurora Science Surveyor’ (BASS) and will investigate why dark regions in the aurora are formed. Similarly equipped rockets will be used in this mission. Launch dates will depend on wind conditions in Alaska.

Both teams will track the auroras with ground-based cameras at the launch site and in Venetie, Alaska (about 210 kilometres northeast along the rockets’ route). In short, we don’t know if this research will help us better understand the dynamics of auroras. However, it is rumoured that the physical processes behind this natural phenomenon that fascinates us all will be elucidated.

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