This animation shows how particles from the Sun are diverted by the Earth's magnetic field. Movie provided courtesy of Professor Patricia Reiff, Rice University Connections Program

Dangerous particles are not able to penetrate to the Earth's surface but are forced by the magnetic field to move around the Earth. Particles gain entry through the cusps that are shaped like funnels over the polar regions or they gain entry far downstream from the Earth. The particles that enter downstream travel toward the Earth and are accelerated into the high-latitude ionosphere and produce the auroral oval light shows. Since the most intense auroras occur at solar maximum, it was once thought that the Sun hurled material out during these raised times of solar activity and that that material funneled directly into the polar cusps. However, we now understand that the electrons that cause the auroras come in downstream or from the Earth's magnetic tail. These electrons that enter at the magnetotail are energized locally within the magnetosphere.

Other higher energy particle radiation that could pose a danger to life here on Earth, is forced to drift around the Earth within two large donut-shaped regions called the radiation belts. Invisible magnetic fields are the reason that particle radiation moves in this way. Click here for basic facts about particle motions in the Earth's magnetic field.

This animation shows how particles from the Sun are diverted by the Earth's magnetic field. Movie provided courtesy of Professor Patricia Reiff, Rice University Connections Program

Dangerous particles don't hit the Earth's surface because they are forced by the magnetic field to move around the Earth. Particles do enter at the funnels over the poles or they gain entry far downstream from the Earth. The particles that enter downstream or at the magnetotail cause the auroral lights.

Other higher energy particle radiation that could endanger life on Earth is forced to drift around the Earth within two large donut-shaped regions called the radiation belts. Invisible magnetic fields are the reason that particle radiation moves in this way. Click here for basic facts about particle motions in the Earth's magnetic field.

This animation shows how particles from the Sun are diverted by the Earth's magnetic field. Movie provided courtesy of Professor Patricia Reiff, Rice University Connections Program

Dangerous particles from the Sun don't hit the Earth's surface. They are forced by the Earth's magnetic field to move around the Earth. You can think of the Earth's magnetic field as a big shield from any dangerous particles that come from the Sun.

If you look at the movie, you'll see that some of the particles do make it to the Earth's atmosphere. These particles cause the aurora.