This special "Arranged Composition" of sounds are from the interaction of the Solar Wind with the magnetosphere of Earth. It is a lyrical, composed soundscape of captivating beauty. It is a true and beautiful tribute to our home planet, Earth.

In this arrangement, you will hear the northern lights…

The energy production of the Sun is far from even and fluctuates on an 11 year cycle. Maximum production coincides with high sunspot activity when processes on the Sun's surface throw particles far out in space. These particles are called the solar wind. When the Solar Wind collides with the magnetosphere with sufficient number of particles, it causes the northern lights.

For more information about plasma and magnetic fields and their relationship to our sound recordings from space, consult the April 1991 issue of Scientific American Magazine for an article entitled "Collisionless Shock Waves".

Special thanks to our friends and contacts at various U.S National Space Agencies and Universities. This Space Recording Series is dedicated to the memory of Fred Scarf, PhD, who developed the acoustic recording project for Voyager and is directly responsible for the sounds you hear on these recordings from space.

The authentic photos have been made available, courtesy of JPL and NASA.