Space Explorers’ virtual missions, experiments, and data analysis tools were founded upon the idea that students involved in the excitement of NASA missions could be highly motivated to pursue careers in math, science, and technology fields. Along with providing Internet based science curricula, Space Explorers also provides teachers with professional development opportunities and workshops to further enhance their science teaching abilities. |
Researchers using a fleet of five NASA satellites have discovered that explosions of magnetic energy a third of the way to the Moon power substorms that cause sudden brightenings and rapid movements of the aurora borealis, known as the Northern Lights. The cause was confirmed to be magnetic reconnection, a common process that occurs throughout the universe when stressed magnetic field lines suddenly snap to a new shape, like a rubber band that has been stretched too far. The THEMIS satellites were perfectly positioned to record this sighting from multiple perspectives.
