Storms Above the Sky: A Simple Look at Space Weather

Digital painting of Earth in space with swirling solar wind from the Sun. Orange and teal streams curve toward Earth to show space weather activity. Stars are scattered across the background. The style uses smooth brush textures and bright contrast with no people or figures.

Space has weather just like Earth. The Sun sends out a stream of particles called the solar wind. This wind can change when the Sun becomes active. These changes can affect satellites, radio signals, and navigation tools that support aviation.

What Space Weather Means

Space weather includes solar flares, magnetic storms, and fast streams of charged particles. These events can make signals weak. They can also cause delay in systems that guide aircraft. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration studies these events every day. Source: NOAA.

Why It Matters for Aviation

Aviation teams use GPS, radio calls, and satellite messages. These tools can change during strong space weather. A solar storm can make GPS less accurate for a short time. It can also affect high altitude flights near the poles. This is why space weather alerts support safe operations.

Video Resource

This NOAA video explains five simple facts about space weather:

Solar Wind and Satellite Tools

Solar wind interacts with Earths magnetic field. This field protects Earth from most of the energy. Some energy enters near the poles. Satellites inside this region can see signal changes. NOAA uses its GOES satellites to watch these shifts from space.

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