If you've ever seen the beautiful northern lights on Earth, then you've witnessed visible evidence of an enormous, invisible phenomenon: Earth's magnetic field. Polar lights, or aurora, happen on any planet that has a magnetic field and an atmosphere. The glow is caused when charged particles guided by the magnetic field collide with atoms in the atmosphere and stimulate the emission of light.

All of the giant planets have magnetic fields and aurora, but Jupiter is the champion. Its magnetic field is the largest planetary structure in the Solar System, and it produces more intense radiation than any other Solar System object, apart from the Sun. The rain of Jupiter's charged particles can "fry" electronics aboard a space probe or kill a human who passes through. Try your luck shooting protons in various types of magnetic fields using a pinball launcher. Remember that charged particles, like protons, are guided by magnetic fields.

Open within exhibit