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weather

SOLAR SYSTEM: Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful…

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Mars dust storm - NASA/JPL

Our solar system is home to some weird and wonderful weather, with storms more terrifying in scale than anything in Earth’s recorded history. From centuries-old hurricanes on Jupiter to immense winds on Neptune, if you leave Earth you’ll be shocked by what you find. On Mars you will find immense dust storms that cover the entire planet, while Venus has an incredibly thick and fast-moving atmosphere that can form permanent vortices at its poles. On Jupiter and Saturn there are some huge storms — bigger than the diameter of multiple Earths — that have raged for decades or even centuries. … Read more

SCIENCE: We’re Changing Near Earth Space Weather Too

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space weather

Our Cold War history is now offering scientists a chance to better understand the complex space system that surrounds us. Space weather — which can include changes in Earth’s magnetic environment — are usually triggered by the sun’s activity, but recently declassified data on high-altitude nuclear explosion tests have provided a new look at the mechanisms that set off perturbations in that magnetic system. Such information can help support NASA’s efforts to protect satellites and astronauts from the natural radiation inherent in space. From 1958 to 1962, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. ran high-altitude tests with exotic code names like Starfish, … Read more