What Is a Magnetosphere, How Big Is the Magnetosphere, and When Was the Earth’s Magnetosphere Discovered?

Earth has a natural electromagnetic field of charged particles.

These particles essentially allow for the existence of natural electricity.

The particles reside in a layer around Earth called the magnetosphere.

It is shaped like a teardrop as a result of the solar wind pushing the bulk of it away from the Sun.

The area on the side facing the Sun extends for about 40,000 miles (65,000 km).

The other side reaches out beyond the distance to the Moon, 231,000 miles (380,000 km).

The Earth’s magnetosphere was discovered in 1958 by Explorer 1 during the research performed for the International Geophysical Year.

Earth’s magnetosphere provides protection from the sun’s solar winds, and without it, life on earth as we know it would not survive.