STEVE isn't an aurora

Aurorae occur when charged particles emitted by the Sun slam into Earth’s atmosphere, imparting energy to the molecules there that is subsequently released as light. The result is a dazzling, dancing light show that has fascinated skygazers and facilitated scientific discoveries about our planet, our Sun, and the way they interact. Though the aurora is relatively well studied, it still holds surprises, such as STEVE — a vibrant, violet phenomenon known to amateur photographers and skywatchers for decades, but which only captured the attention of the professional scientific community two years ago.

STEVE stands for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement. The name is a “backronym” — an acronym devised after the fact to fit the letters of the name Steve, which was given to the phenomenon as a nod to the movie Over the Hedge. And though scientists had originally dubbed STEVE a kind of aurora, a new study published August 20 in Geophysical Research Letters now concludes that STEVE “is clearly distinct from the aurora.”


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