The earth's inner core is made out of iron, nickel and platinum. Iron and nickel are magnetic metals, so our earth is a huge magnet. Compasses point to the north pole every time because of our earth's magnetic core.
Our magnetic field is a giant shield. Our magnetic field deflects the solar wind and protects our atmosphere.
If we didn't have a magnetic field, our water would instantly boil because of the sun and our atmosphere would blow away. This is what happened to Mars. It used to have a magnetic field that protected Mars and so there used to be water on it. We can see evidence on Mars that water was once there. Eventually a solar storm so large destroyed the magnetic field and the water and atmosphere instantly was gone.
Also, since we have a magnetic field, we see beautiful light shows in the sky called auroras. When solar wind or solar storms come from the sun and hit our magnetic field, it breaks part of our magnetic field, and that funnels light and heat to the poles, and we see auroras.
When electrically charged particles from solar storms collide and hit nitrogen and oxygen in our atmosphere, it releases energy and we see auroras at the poles.
Our magnetic field is a giant shield. Our magnetic field deflects the solar wind and protects our atmosphere.
If we didn't have a magnetic field, our water would instantly boil because of the sun and our atmosphere would blow away. This is what happened to Mars. It used to have a magnetic field that protected Mars and so there used to be water on it. We can see evidence on Mars that water was once there. Eventually a solar storm so large destroyed the magnetic field and the water and atmosphere instantly was gone.
Also, since we have a magnetic field, we see beautiful light shows in the sky called auroras. When solar wind or solar storms come from the sun and hit our magnetic field, it breaks part of our magnetic field, and that funnels light and heat to the poles, and we see auroras.
When electrically charged particles from solar storms collide and hit nitrogen and oxygen in our atmosphere, it releases energy and we see auroras at the poles.
You can see different color auroras depending on what gas is excited by the solar wind.
When oxygen is excited up to 60 miles above the surface- you see green.
When oxygen is excited 200 miles above the surface- you see reds and oranges.
When Nitrogen is excited you see blues and purples.
When oxygen is excited up to 60 miles above the surface- you see green.
When oxygen is excited 200 miles above the surface- you see reds and oranges.
When Nitrogen is excited you see blues and purples.