Six STEM Tweets - Special aurora edition

Six spectacular solar-flare stories

Author

Harshal Chhaya
May 12, 2024

Six STEM Tweets

Six tweets that celebrate engineering and all things STEM.

I scroll so you don’t have to.

I had a whole different issue in the works when the Sun decided to share some of its brilliance with us and give us a spectacular light show.

The auroras (aurorae?) seen on Friday and Sat night were stunning and surprising.

And thanks to the magic engineering of smart phone cameras and social media, all of us got to experience it.

I personally was a little too south to see the lights in person. 🙁 

It’s like the heavens said, “Dallas, y’all got 4 min of totality during the eclipse. Be happy. Let other folks enjoy the northern lights”

But I am so glad so many saw them and shared their photos online.

Here’s a special aurora-only issue of #SixSTEMTweets

(Thanks to everyone who sends in feedback and ideas for future issues. And also to folks who forward the email to others to sign up. Everyone can sign up at https://sixstemtweets.beehiiv.com/ and see the previous issues)

#1

Just in case you don’t see the full text above, Prof Brian Cox wrote:

As you watch the Aurora this evening, it’s worth reflecting that you’re getting a rare direct glimpse of the power of Nature. Those charged particles causing the atmosphere to glow came from a sunspot complex 17 times the diameter of Earth and traveled across 90 million miles at a million miles an hour. Without our magnetic field to protect us, our atmosphere would have been lost to space long ago. Those colours in the sky are Nature reminding us that we’re very lucky to be here amidst the violence. And perhaps therefore also reminding us not to shite it all up :-)

#2

The different gasses give the different colors; green is low altitude oxygen, red is high altitude oxygen, other colors are nitrogen

#3

If you want to know more, the NOAA website has a really good, in-depth tutorial https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/content/aurora-tutorial

#4

I love how connected I felt to total strangers around the world. Very similar to how the eclipse felt a few weeks back.

There’s something mystical about the shared experience of so many folks around the world.

The sense of awe and wonder - in people of all ages.

I agree with Alex that these celestial phenomena resulted in a few kids and young adults deciding to pursue astronomy/physics/science education and careers. 😍 

#5

#6

I love this take. And I love that the universe is working extra hard.

That’s it for this issue.

Hit ‘reply’ to tell me what you think.

And hit ‘forward’ to share with your friends and family.

Let’s all celebrate science and engineering and curiosity.

Best wishes,

Harshal