Intense auroras on Jupiter sparked by solar storm
 

Intense auroras on Jupiter sparked by solar storm
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In 2011, scientists watched as a huge burst of plasma burped from the sun crashed into Jupiter, sparking intense auroras on the giant planet.

Those auroras — which were eight times brighter than usual — marked the first time researchers directly observed X-ray auroras on Jupiter triggered by a solar storm, according to a new study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research — Space Physics*on Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Jupiter is big and beautiful in NASA's new 4K Ultra HD video


Wind from the sun is constantly slamming into Jupiter, disturbing its magnetosphere along the way.*

That disturbance can affect the auroras of the planet, according to the new research, so studying them allows scientists to learn more about how the sun influences the largest planet in the solar system. Read more...


More about Chandra, Nasa, Science, **rthern Lights, and Aurorashttp://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/mash.to...ord=1458759911http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Mashable/~4/Yp4g5e5pD00