Solar Wind Screensaver
The Solar Wind screensaver is a live dashboard of the solar wind streaming past Earth — speed, density and the all-important Bz magnetic field — from NOAA's real-time monitor at the Earth–Sun L1 point. It's free, key-less, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
Live preview
Press ESC to leave fullscreen. Settings are saved in your browser only.
How the Solar Wind screensaver works
The saver streams NOAA's real-time solar-wind data from whichever spacecraft NOAA currently flies as its monitor at the Earth–Sun L1 point; the panel names the one in use.
It shows the wind speed in kilometres per second, the particle density, and the strength of the embedded magnetic field.
The Bz component — whether the field points north or south — is highlighted, because a southward Bz is what unlocks auroras.
Particles stream across the panel toward Earth, faster when the wind picks up, and the data refreshes every minute.
A worked example
On a quiet day the wind idles near 400 km/s with Bz hovering around zero; when a gust arrives speed jumps and Bz swings south and red — the very condition that lights up auroras a day or two later.
Settings & tips
- Accent recolours the gauges and particle stream.
- Background sets the space backdrop.
- A southward (negative) Bz, shown in red, is the key aurora trigger.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the data live?
- Yes. It streams from NOAA's real-time L1 solar-wind monitor and refreshes every minute, so it tracks the solar wind now.
- Why does Bz matter?
- When the wind's magnetic field points south (negative Bz) it links with Earth's field and pours energy in, driving geomagnetic storms and auroras.
- Does it need a key?
- No. NOAA's space-weather data is free and key-less; the saver only needs an internet connection.
- How does this relate to Space Weather?
- Space Weather shows the resulting aurora; Solar Wind shows the upstream conditions that cause it.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.