Happy Earth Day! As you celebrate, make sure you thank the Earth's thick atmosphere and strong magnetic field for protecting you from the solar wind, a dangerous and continuous flow of charged particles from the Sun. This wind is strong enough that it stripped away most of Mars' atmosphere, but our magnetic field is able to deflect the Sun's particles.
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MOIYA MCTIER,
Astrophysicist, Folklorist, & Science Communicator
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See AllAlright, friends. Here it is, my 100th and final astronomy fun fact! And what better topic to end on than the ultimate fate of the...
Astronomy is often viewed as an unnecessary science because people think astronomy research doesn't directly affect people's lives....
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I don't think it should matter that the pole is shifting, because that just means that the Sun's particles will be directed to a different place.
And regarding solar flares, you can watch this nifty interview I did a few months ago to learn more: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=591295494646481
Yay magnets!
Question - does it matter that the magnetic pole is shifting? Also solar flares/storms - how scared should we be?