What is the solar wind?
The solar wind is a stream of charged particles (plasma) that streams off the Sun at about one million miles per hour (400km/s)! These particles come from the outermost layer of the Sun, called the corona. The corona is a very hot place, about 1.8 million °F (1 million °C). High temperatures cause particles to move faster, so the particles in the corona move very fast. Some of the particles move so fast that the Sun's gravity is not strong enough to hold them down, and so they fly off, becoming part of the solar wind.
The solar wind starts at the corona, and flies out into the Solar System away from the Sun. By the time that the solar wind reaches the Earth, the particles are moving at about 500,000 miles per hour (804,672 km/h). That is about 500 times faster than most supersonic aircrafts! The solar wind strength (the number of charged particles and how fast they are moving) depends on the solar cycle. When the solar wind is particularly strong, it disrupts satellites and electrical grids on Earth. A very strong solar wind can also cause auroras, also known as the Northern or Southern Lights.
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