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(Narrator) We often underestimate how beautiful a scientific discovery can be. When the

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THEMIS satellite fleet launched in 2007,
the mission set out to investigate what

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triggers sub storms. Sub storms are
atmospheric events visible in the

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northern hemisphere as a sudden brightening of the northern lights or Aurora Borealis.

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One such sub storm in
March 2008 produced lightning fast

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Aurora with the energy of a moderate
earthquake.

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NASA scientists found the answer to this mysterious behavior an massive energy in giant magnetic ropes.

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These can be as wide as the Earth itself
serve as conduits for solar wind

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particles which collide with the Earth's
magnetic field and charge the

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spectacular sub storms and Aurora's.
These ropes are evidence of a direct

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connection between the Sun and the
Earth's upper atmosphere. It is when

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these ropes form and unravel that the
highly energetic solar wind ignites the

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Earth's magnetic field and lights up the
northern sky providing a celestial dance

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that is captivated observers since
ancient times.

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