Spaceship Earth is the home to billions of people.
|
|
We see the earth as a peaceful place to live. From outer space the scientists, astronomers, and astronauts The website contains more information on earth. |
The earth's magnetosphere protects the earth from the solar wind:
 |
A magnetosphere is the region surrounding a planet where the planet's magnetic field dominates. Because the ions in the solar plasma are charged, they interact with these magnetic fields. Solar wind particles are swept around earth's magnetosphere. Life on Earth would not exist today without the protection of this magnetosphere. |
Solar wind compresses the solar wind on the sunward side to a distance of only 6 to 10 times the radius of the Earth. A supersonic shock wave is created sunward of Earth somewhat like a sonic boom. This shock wave is called the bow shock. Most of the solar wind particles are heated and slowed at the bow shock and detour around the Earth. Solar wind drags out the night-side magnetosphere to possibly 1000 times Earth's radius. This extension of the magnetosphere is known as the magnetotail. Many other planets in our solar system have magnetospheres of similar, solar wind-influenced shapes.
For more technical information, visit the earth's magnetospheres.