Site icon SNN

On This Day In Space: Feb. 17, 2007: NASA launches THEMIS aurora-hunting spacecraft

Space.com
On This Day In Space: Feb. 17, 2007: NASA launches THEMIS aurora-hunting spacecraft_63ef7b0b92146.jpeg

On Feb. 17, 2007, NASA launched a quintet of satellites to figure out the science behind Earth’s most colorful auroras. 

The mission was titled THEMIS, which stands for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms. Substorms happen when Earth’s magnetosphere is disrupted by solar wind, or energetic particles flowing from the sun. This causes auroras to brighten and undulate in the sky. 

An artist’s illustration of NASA’s five THEMIS aurora-hunting satellites in orbit around Earth. (Image credit: NASA)

(opens in new tab)

Related stories:

— Here’s Why Auroras on Earth Are Different in the North and South

— Aurora Guide: How the Northern Lights Work (Infographic)

— Aurora Borealis: What Causes the Northern Lights & Where to See Them

THEMIS helped scientists understand what triggers these substorms.

 All five THEMIS satellites launched on the same Delta II rocket before splitting up to orbit Earth in formation.

On This Day in Space Archive!  

Still not enough space? Don’t forget to check out our Space Image of the Day, and on the weekends our Best Space Photos and Top Space News Stories of the week.

Follow us @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. 

Exit mobile version