Heliophysics
What causes the Sun to change?
How does Earth react to the Sun?
How does the Sun affect humanity?
NASA’s heliophysics research investigates the connection between the Sun, the heliosphere, and planetary environments.
As part of NASA’s education and public outreach programs in heliophysics, solar scientists and educators work to dispel the myth that the Sun is an unchanging beacon in our sky. When shared and explained, solar images and research results enlighten curious minds to the Sun’s great intensity and influence over our lives. Understanding the connection between the Sun and Earth helps us appreciate and evaluate the impacts of solar variability on humans, technological systems, and the presence of life itself.
Missions
- Coupled Ion-Neutral Dynamics Investigation (CINDI)
- Energy from the Sun in Space and on Earth (ESSE)
- Five Stars Pathway: Engaging Girls in Science through Multigenerational Mentors
- Heliophysics: Extending Curriculum in Targeted Educational Settings (Heliophysics: ExCITES)
- Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)
- Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX)
- Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS)
- Planeterrella
- Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
- Solar-B/Hinode
- Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO)
- SpaceMath@NASA
- Space Weather Action Center / Space Weather Media Viewer
- Space Weather Living History
- Sun-Earth Days 2001-2013
- Surfin’ the Solar Wind (SSW)
- THEMIS-ARTEMIS
- Van Allen Probes
- Toolkits in Heliophysics And Training for Informal Education Networks (THATIEN)
Acknowledgements: Data cited for individual mission and grant programs described on this website were originally provided via the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Community Workspace (http://www.smdepo.org/page/5324).