NASA | Tracking Space Weather for New Horizons

Leila Mays, a research scientist at Goddard, presents a solar-wind simulation called Enlil, developed by Dr. Dusan Odstrcil. The simulation acts as a weather map for the solar system, providing solar-wind predictions for the New Horizons flyby at Pluto. The video details New Horizons' trajectory from Earth in 2006 to its arrival at Pluto in 2015. It explains the solar wind's properties, including its speed and particle density, and how it interacts with coronal mass ejections from the sun. The simulation, which began six months prior, includes data on over 100 coronal mass ejections and highlights their journey to Pluto, taking about five months. The video concludes with a focus on Pluto as the New Horizons spacecraft approaches its closest flyby in mid-July.

What is the primary purpose of the Enlil simulation?

• To map the surface of Pluto

• To provide solar-wind predictions for the solar system

• To simulate the trajectory of New Horizons

• To predict weather patterns on Earth

How long did it take for New Horizons to reach Pluto after its launch?

• Five years

• Nine and a half years

• Twelve years

• Seven years

What is the approximate speed of the solar wind near Earth?

• 1,500,000 miles per hour

• 750,000 miles per hour

• 1,000,000 miles per hour

• 500,000 miles per hour

What are coronal mass ejections and how do they interact with solar-wind structures?

• They are magnetic fields that repel solar wind

• They are solar flares that dissipate quickly

• They are dense regions that merge with solar-wind structures

• They are small particles that evaporate in space

How many coronal mass ejections are included in the simulation?

• Over 100

• Less than 50

• Over 50

• Exactly 100