Smile mission captures unprecedented ultraviolet images of aurora borealis

The Smile (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) mission, a collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has officially entered its scientific phase. Following a period of commissioning that concluded on September 23, 2026, the satellite is now actively collecting data to study space weather.

The mission's Ultraviolet Imager (UVI) has already produced unprecedented footage, capturing a complete ring of aurora borealis around the North Pole. By operating in the ultraviolet spectrum, the UVI can filter out daylight, allowing scientists to observe auroral activity even on the sunlit side of Earth—a feat not achieved with such clarity since 2008.

The primary objective of the Smile mission is to decode the complex relationship between solar wind and Earth's magnetic field. By simultaneously observing auroras, the magnetopause, and the magnetosphere, researchers aim to understand how charged particles from the Sun trigger geomagnetic storms and how these events impact both terrestrial electronics and orbital infrastructure.