Rocket-through-aurora shots from Poker Flat Image credit: Geophysical Institute
A lot of people see the northern lights as a beautiful sight, but for scientists, they also show how activity within space can directly affect life here on Earth. NASA has conducted a study on a less well-known type of aurora, the black aurora, which shows that there are clues to be found regarding space weather, its effects on technology, and how studying these areas will help us better predict space weather.
In February of 2026, NASA launched multiple rockets from Poker Flat Research Range near Fairbanks, Alaska to investigate the black auroras. Unlike the bright green and purple lights commonly associated with auroras, black auroras appear as dark patches within an aurora in comparison to the more commonly referenced bright green and purple lights of the auroras.
The black regions will actually allow electrons to move upward into space instead of downward into the atmosphere of Earth. Scientists are hopeful that understanding how electrons move within these black regions will lead to improvements in predicting space weather that can cause disruptions to satellites, GPS systems, and power grids.
Auroras are produced when charged particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field at high altitudes, causing the sky to light up in colourful displays. Bright auroras have been extensively studied since their discovery, while black auroras have received limited research because earlier satellites and ground-based observations could not accurately measure particle motion within these darker regions.
On February 9, 2026, NASA launched the Black and Diffuse Auroral Science Surveyor (BADASS) rocket to collect direct data about black auroras, followed the next day with the launch of two Geophysical Non-Equilibrium Ionospheric System Science (GNEISS) rockets. This study has already shown that some parts of the black regions permit the escape of electrons into space, which could help us improve our ability to forecast space weather and guide infrastructure planning in high-latitude regions.
Reference:
Brown, S. (2026, February 18). NASA launches twin rocket missions from Alaska to study mysterious black auroras. https://www.space.com/stargazing/auroras/nasa-launches-twin-rocket-missions-from-alaska-to-study-mysterious-black-auroras