3 ms·

Apparently its not a mystery: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/mystery-of-purple-lights-in-sky-solved-with-help-from-citizen-scientists https://www.nas

by dcow 8y ago

Apparently its not a mystery: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/mystery-of-purple-lights-in-sky-solved-with-help-from-citizen-scientists https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/mystery-of-purple-...

Dylan16807 8y ago
That's addressed in the article. Contrary to the findings from the Steve study published earlier this year, the satellite did not detect any charged particles raining down toward Earth's magnetic-field lines, indicating that whatever created Steve did not follow the same rules as the solar particles that create the aurora.
ChuckMcM 8y ago
This is an essential read for folks who are wondering what it is. That said, my favorite crackpot theory that I read was that it was aliens burning down the ozone layer in preparation for an invasion. The most interesting speculative idea was that it was tied to the impending pole shift (as the poles weaken it extends the aurora south).
kosievdmerwe 8y ago
The article says we've "solved" it, but later on it says: > Steve is an important discovery because of its location in the sub auroral zone, an area of lower latitude than where most auroras appear that is not well researched. For one, with this discovery, scientists now know there are unknown chemical processes taking place in the sub auroral zone that can lead to this light emission. > Second, Steve consistently appears in the presence of auroras, which usually occur at a higher latitude area called the auroral zone. That means there is something happening in near-Earth space that leads to both an aurora and Steve. Steve might be the only visual clue that exists to show a chemical or physical connection between the higher latitude auroral zone and lower latitude sub auroral zone, said MacDonald. Essentially, we still don't know what exactly is happening.

3 ms·

Apparently its not a mystery: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/mystery-of-purple-lights-in-sky-solved-with-help-from-citizen-scientists https://www.nas

by dcow 8y ago

Dylan16807 8y ago
That's addressed in the article. Contrary to the findings from the Steve study published earlier this year, the satellite did not detect any charged particles raining down toward Earth's magnetic-field lines, indicating that whatever created Steve did not follow the same rules as the solar particles that create the aurora.
ChuckMcM 8y ago
This is an essential read for folks who are wondering what it is. That said, my favorite crackpot theory that I read was that it was aliens burning down the ozone layer in preparation for an invasion. The most interesting speculative idea was that it was tied to the impending pole shift (as the poles weaken it extends the aurora south).
kosievdmerwe 8y ago
The article says we've "solved" it, but later on it says: > Steve is an important discovery because of its location in the sub auroral zone, an area of lower latitude than where most auroras appear that is not well researched. For one, with this discovery, scientists now know there are unknown chemical processes taking place in the sub auroral zone that can lead to this light emission. > Second, Steve consistently appears in the presence of auroras, which usually occur at a higher latitude area called the auroral zone. That means there is something happening in near-Earth space that leads to both an aurora and Steve. Steve might be the only visual clue that exists to show a chemical or physical connection between the higher latitude auroral zone and lower latitude sub auroral zone, said MacDonald. Essentially, we still don't know what exactly is happening.