AURORAL FRIENDS
Live Data
Polar (real time)
A complete list of real-time data links is located in the Space Weather Resources section.
From Satellites: Polar Satellite
The Visible Imaging System (VIS) on the NASA Polar satellite provides images that allow you to monitor the brightness and extension of the auroral oval. Below is a VIS image from 2003 on the 32 day (February 1) at 20:46Universal Time.
A map has been superimposed on the satellite image. This image shows North America, which can be easily recognized by the Great Lakes in the lower center of the image. The lighter region to the lower left shows that it is daytime in the US (3:46 pm EST). The light circle around the North Pole is the aurora. Since it is February, it is dark in Alaska and northern Canada. It is also nighttime in the Atlantic Ocean (to the right).
The Polar spacecraft has a 17 hour orbit, so it may be impossible to see the region you want when you want it.
For example, this image (above) from the 44th day of 2003 (February 13) shows South America, the Atlantic Ocean and eastern Africa during the day (notice how bright the image is) without showing any auroral ovals. You also have to become good at world geography to recognize the focus of the image. This image (below) shows daytime in Australia (to the left) and an aurora over Antarctica. The North Pole is down and not in view!
If the view of the Earth you need is not being shown by Polar, you will have to use other satellites to get your information.
- NASA Official: Dr. James Thieman
- Project Manager: Don Robinson-Boonstra
- Website Manager: Bryan Stephenson