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Uniting Auroral Researchers, Astronauts,
& Citizen Scientists
Project Objective
Project Objective
The goal of the SolarMaX project is to create an open-source database of aurora photographs for researchers over a 3-5 day window. This collection will include images captured from the human spaceflight mission Fram2, as well as those taken from the ground by anyone on Earth who can observe the aurora.
Update!
Update!
Fram2 splashdown was at 16.18 UT Friday 4th April, ending the SolarMaX Mission!
Fram2 splashdown was at 16.18 UT Friday 4th April, ending the SolarMaX Mission!
Fram2 is a part of exploration history and SolarMaX is also a new exploration into what is possible with collaboration between scientists, citizen scientists, and astronauts!
Fram2 is a part of exploration history and SolarMaX is also a new exploration into what is possible with collaboration between scientists, citizen scientists, and astronauts!
Please continue to submit your photos to Skywarden for researchers to be able to use your photos and for you to be considered for the prizes that have been to space. We will decide and notify the winners of the space prizes after some weeks to give people a chance to sort out and upload their images and for us to receive the precious cargo. Please submit your images by the end of April to be in the running for the prizes.
This is the end of the mission but just the beginning of the science! We will continue to work together to collect images shot during the mission and use them to learn more about weird aurora. The SolarMaX website will be updated when we make progress, but it can take quite a while to put together the puzzle pieces.
Thank you for joining us on this journey, please contact katieh@unis.no with questions or comments!
Project Motivation
Project Motivation
Fram2 will be the first human space mission to travel around the Earth’s polar regions. Named after the historical ship Fram, which went on groundbreaking expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica, this mission will pioneer to be the first ever human space mission in polar orbit. Onboard Fram2 are four commercial astronauts, Chun Wang of Malta, Jannicke Mikkelsen of Norway, Rabea Rogge of Germany and Eric Philips of Australia.
Astronaut and filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen will bring state of the art photographic equipment with her on the spaceflight. Dr Katie Herlingshaw researches light emissions that look like aurora but of which the causes are not yet understood. Both women live in the world's northernmost town Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Arctic Norway. They hatched up a plan for Fram2 to gather data to learn more about the aurora-like phenomena and to what extent they can affect satellite communication and drag.
Fram2 is set to launch Tue Apr 1, 2025 03:47 GMT+2 – meaning the crew is likely launched into orbit at the peak of the Sun’s 11-year cycle. There have already been spectacular auroral displays this year, where aurora has been photographed by the public with cameras and smartphones over widespread regions in both the northern and southern polar regions. This growing network of observers holds significant potential for scientific research, provided that the images are accurately time-stamped, geolocated, and shared on online scientific platform.
What is a Citizen Scientist?
What is a Citizen Scientist?
A citizen scientist is someone from the public who collects and analyzes data related to the natural world. Anyone can become a citizen scientist! If you’re interested in auroras or photography and want to learn more about how auroras work and how to capture them on camera, we’ve got resources for you. Our goal is to engage existing citizen scientists and inspire new ones to join our project. You don’t need a fancy, expensive camera—just a camera phone and a bit of curiosity will do!
What Types of Aurora-Like Phenomena Are We Exploring?
What Types of Aurora-Like Phenomena Are We Exploring?
The main objective of the project is to photograph the following aurora-like phenomena:
Fragmented Aurora-like Emissions (fragments)
Continuous Emissions (continuum)
Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement (STEVE)
Streaks
You might think some of the features look a little alike - and that's because they do!
Fragments and streaks are brief (around 1 minute) green light emissions that extend perpendicularly from the nearby "normal" aurora, which typically aligns with Earth's magnetic field. These perpendicular emissions suggest a different underlying process. STEVE, a continuum emission made up of all colors, has been studied on the equatorward side of the auroral oval, but similar features have recently appeared on the poleward side at different times and places than it's possible for STEVE to occur.
This project aims to compare these features to better understand their origins and evolution. However, space weather is unpredictable, so what appears during the mission is uncertain. If other aurora and aurora-like features are photographed by the citizen scientists and Jannicke, researchers will also be keen to dig into the data for those as well.
How can you get involved?
How can you get involved?
Well, I'm glad you asked!
If you think you fit neatly into one of the categories below, click the image to read more on how you can participate and then contact us with your details. If you think you can help but you've seen a new possibility for how you can contribute, then let us know what you're thinking!
We want to make this a global collaboration (both northern and southern hemisphere) so don't hesitate to get in touch. Unfortunately, this website and it's resources are only available in English (except for some of the educational resources), but we also welcome participation from non-English speaking countries.
Are you an educator? Or could you plan an observation night and teach people how to take night-sky photos?
Are you a community leader in an aurora group? A media or tourism contact? A social media influencer or blogger?
Are you currently or do you want to be an aurora photographer and citizen scientist?
Are you an aurora observations database manager? Researcher? Instrument PI?
Win Exclusive Prizes – Some of Which Have Been to Space!
Win Exclusive Prizes – Some of Which Have Been to Space!
A selection of participants from each category of collaborators will receive mission patches that have journeyed to space with Jannicke during her 3-5 day mission in low-Earth polar orbit!
Additionally, one fortunate citizen scientist who captures and submits an image of fragments, streaks, STEVE, or continuum emission to Skywarden will win a signed copy of our Aurora Field Guide!
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this extraordinary experience and earn these incredible prizes!
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