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    Solar wind shaping magnetospheres of Earth and Venus

    Date: 07 Jan 2011
    Depicts: Effect of solar wind on magnetosphere
    Copyright: ESA

    Artist's impression showing how the solar wind shapes the magnetospheres of Venus (shown with a brown tail, closer to the Sun) and Earth (shown in blue). Both planets are roughly the same size. Venus is closer to the Sun, at roughly 0.7 AU (Astronomical Unit) while Earth is located at 1 AU. Unlike Venus, Earth has an internal magnetic field which makes its magnetosphere bigger. The lines coming out of the Sun symbolise the propagation direction of the solar wind.


    Last Update: 07 Jan 2011

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