Amateur astronomers discovered a new type of aurora that you can see much farther south - and they named it 'Steve'

Advertisement
Amateur astronomers discovered a new type of aurora that you can see much farther south - and they named it 'Steve'

Advertisement
aurora steve

Krista Trinder/ NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) and the Milky Way at Childs Lake, Manitoba, Canada

Amateur sky-watchers in Canada, in conjunction with NASA scientists, have made a startling discovery after years of looking up at the stars: a new type of aurora.

They named it STEVE, an acronym for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement. 

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

While the new aurora may appear similar to the famous northern lights (or aurora borealis), it's a phenomenon previously unknown to science. Rather than the traditional greens and blue hues of other auroras, Steve appears to the human eye as purplish, and is surrounded by a green, fence-like structure.

The aurora is a narrow band of light, and it appears much closer to the equator than the northern lights - welcome news for people who want to see the phenomenon but aren't able to make a trip to the Arctic circle. 

Advertisement

It's fleeting, though - sightings last between 20 minutes and an hour, according to NASA.

The strange lights were first spotted by citizen scientists in Southern Canada in 2015. The amateurs formed a group, and started working with a team of aurora researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center called Aurorasaurus.

The amateur scientists shared their images of the mysterious lights with NASA to figure out their source, and the collaboration led them to publish the findings in the journal Science Advances on Tuesday.

Check out some beautiful images of the aurora below: 

{{}}

After comparing the images the amateurs submitted with satellite data, the NASA researchers found they were looking at a whole new type of aurora.

After comparing the images the amateurs submitted with satellite data, the NASA researchers found they were looking at a whole new type of aurora.

Source: Aurorasaurus

Auroras are created when charged particles emanating from the sun interact with our planet's magnetic field, resulting in brilliant displays of green, blue, and red light.

Auroras are created when charged particles emanating from the sun interact with our planet's magnetic field, resulting in brilliant displays of green, blue, and red light.
Advertisement

Steve, however, travels on a different magnetic field than other auroras, which is why it's spotted at lower latitudes.

Steve, however, travels on a different magnetic field than other auroras, which is why it's spotted at lower latitudes.

Steve also emanates from a spot twice as high in the sky as the northern lights.

Steve also emanates from a spot twice as high in the sky as the northern lights.
Advertisement

Scientists classified Steve as a sub auroral ion drift, or SAID. Steve is the first example of a SAID that's accompanied by a visual display.

Scientists classified Steve as a sub auroral ion drift, or SAID. Steve is the first example of a SAID that's accompanied by a visual display.

The discovery gave scientists a unique window into how the magnetic fields surrounding Earth interact with charged particles in space, according to NASA.

The discovery gave scientists a unique window into how the magnetic fields surrounding Earth interact with charged particles in space, according to NASA.
Advertisement

This video from NASA shows how Steve is formed:

 

Next StoryThe 100 best comedy movies of all time, according to critics