On August 20, 2014, weather satellites captured a space plasma hurricane occurring above the North Pole. The swirling mass of plasma was around 600 miles across and spun counterclockwise at speeds up to 4,700 mph, raining electrons for nearly eight hours!
This occurred at a location where the Sun’s magnetic field was misaligned with Earth’s magnetic field. Researchers calculate that Earth’s and the Sun’s magnetic fields do not always interact neatly – that means we can expect to see this phenomenon again in the future!
Want to hear more about space hurricanes? Check out the links below!
Space hurricane of plasma spotted above Earth’s North Pole
Space hurricane observed in the Earth’s upper atmosphere
First Ever Space Hurricane Spotted in Earth’s Upper Atmosphere
