AURORAL FRIENDS
Live Data
A complete list of real-time data links is located in the Space Weather Resources section.
From Satellites: POES Satellite
The POES satellite monitors the aurora from space. The easiest and quickest way to get the image for the current day is to go to the Sun-Earth Viewer. There is a link to the Viewer at the top of this page and there is a link at the top of every page in the Student Observation Network. When you open the Viewer and click image #11, you will see the page similar to the one below.
Image #11 is an image from the POES satellite and is nearly Real Time. You can use the controls under the main box on the right to zoom and pan.
This plot shows the current extent and position of the auroral oval in the northern hemisphere. The red arrow in the plot points toward noon. The colors indicate intensity. Red and orange indicate intense auroral activity and blue is low auroral activity. This image provides an estimate of the location, extent, and intensity of aurora. If the red-orange extends down into the northern most states of the United States, you can expect to see auroras in these states. If there is a severe magnetic storm, you could expect to see the red-orange extend into the middle of the United States, and you might see aurora into Texas and Florida.
For more information on the POES data visit the POES Auroral Activity site.
- NASA Official: Dr. James Thieman
- Project Manager: Don Robinson-Boonstra
- Website Manager: Bryan Stephenson