Space weather is any condition in outer space that impacts technology on Earth. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) seeks to better understand space weather, capturing images and video of the sun in action. Solar-caused features of space weather include solar wind, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections (CME). Global positioning systems, radio transmitters, and even power grids on Earth can be affected by space weather.
coronal mass ejection
Noun

huge burst of solar wind and other charged particles.
Earth
Noun

our planet, the third from the Sun. The Earth is the only place in the known universe that supports life.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Noun

system of satellites and receiving devices used to determine the location of something on Earth.
NASA
Noun

(National Aeronautics and Space Administration) the U.S. space agency, whose mission statement is "To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind."
outer space
Noun

space beyond Earth's atmosphere.
power grid
Noun

network of cables or other devices through which electricity is delivered to consumers. Also called an electrical grid.
radio transmitter
Noun

device that sends out sound signals.
solar
Adjective

having to do with the sun.
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
Noun

NASA mission designed to understand the causes of solar variability and its impacts on Earth.
solar flare
Noun

explosion in the sun's atmosphere, which releases a burst of energy and charged particles into the solar system.
solar wind
Noun

flow of charged particles, mainly protons and electrons, from the sun to the edge of the solar system.
space weather
Noun

changes in the environment outside the Earth's atmosphere, usually influenced by the sun.
technology
Noun

the science of using tools and complex machines to make human life easier or more profitable.

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    Illustrator

    Scott Macneil

    Page Producer

    Makayla Trotter

    Last Updated

    Nov. 16, 2011

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