NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

Experiment Overview


Brief Summary

For Coordinated Aurora Photography from Earth and Space (AuroraMAX), crewmembers photograph the aurora borealis from the International Space Station (ISS). The photography may be timed with periods of increased solar activity to increase the chances of photographing auroras. This is a public outreach initiative designed to inspire the public to learn more about solar-terrestrial science and how solar activity affects Earth.

Principal Investigator(s)

Ruth Ann Chicoine, Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Saint Hubert, Quebec, Canada

Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

Emma Spanswick, Ph.D., University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

Pierre Langlois, Space Technologies, St. Hubert, Quebec, Canada

Developer(s)
Information Pending

Sponsoring Space Agency

Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

Sponsoring Organization

Information Pending

Research Benefits

Information Pending

ISS Expedition Duration

September 2011 - May 2012

Expeditions Assigned

29/30

Previous ISS Missions

Information Pending

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Experiment Description

Research Overview

• The aurora borealis is a display of light in the sky which generally happens around the polar regions of Earth when charge particles from the sun collide with the Earth?s magnetic field in the ionosphere (the region of the Earth?s atmosphere where the International Space Station (ISS) orbits).



• Coordinated Aurora Photography from Earth and Space (AuroraMAX) enhances awareness of the science of the aurora by engaging the public in simultaneous aurora observation and personal photography.



• The photography aboard the ISS is coordinated with a network of ground-based observatories across northern Canada during periods of solar activity.

Description

Information Pending

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Applications

Space Applications

Information Pending

Earth Applications

Information Pending

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Operations

Operational Requirements

Information Pending

Operational Protocols

Information Pending

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Results/More Information

Information Pending

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Related Websites

CSA-AuroraMax

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Imagery

The Aurora Borealis as photographed from Earth. Image courtesy of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
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Auroral photography from the ISS, like this image from the crew of Expedition 23, provide valuable information about the structure and profiling of auroras, as well as captivating the public?s imagination. Image courtesy of NASA.
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