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The energetic particles in the solar wind from the Sun sweep through the solar system at speeds that can exceed a million miles per hour…with striking and sometimes beautiful results.
When the solar wind encounters Earth, our planet's magnetic field deflects most of the particles, causing them to flow around us.
Mars, with no strong magnetic field, is not so lucky. Over time, the solar wind has stripped away much of Mars’ atmosphere, something that the @MAVEN2Mars mission has studied.
An immense magnetic field emanates from Jupiter. This field channels charged particles into the upper atmosphere near the poles, creating brilliant auroras. The @NASAJuno mission is studying how Jupiter’s auroras respond to different conditions in the solar wind.
The solar wind interacting with Saturn’s magnetic field is a factor in auroras there, too. When NASA’s Cassini spacecraft orbited Saturn, its instruments detected radio emissions from the auroras. Take a listen! go.nasa.gov/2GAuaHS
Projecting outward, the solar wind forms an immense "bubble" around the Sun called the heliosphere. Recently the @NASAVoyager 2 spacecraft followed Voyager 1 in leaving the heliosphere...sailing out into the interstellar medium: go.nasa.gov/2GBv4nC
