The Day the Solar Wind Disappeared from Mars

In December 2022, NASA’s Mars-orbiting MAVEN mission observed the dramatic and unexpected “disappearance” of the solar wind, a stream of charged particles that continuously emanates from the Sun. This was caused by a special type of solar event that was so powerful, it created a void in its wake as it traveled through the solar system. The Martian atmosphere and magnetosphere expanded by thousands of kilometers in response, causing the solar wind to temporarily vanish from Mars. MAVEN’s observations of this dramatic event are helping scientists to better understand the physics that drive atmospheric and water loss at Mars. Learn more about MAVEN at: Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Kel Elkins: Lead Data Visualizer Dan Gallagher: Producer/Narrator Greg Shirah: Data Visualizer Cindy Starr: Data Visualizer Walt Feimer: Animator John Blackwell: Animator Jonathan North: Animator Chris Meaney: Animator Jasper Halekas: Scientist Skylar Shaver: Scientist Abigail Azari: Scientist Yingjuan Ma: Scientist Shannon Curry: Scientist Willow Reed: Communications Nancy Neal-Jones: Public Affairs Universal Production Music: “Space Museum” by Harry Gregson Williams [BMI], Atmosphere Music Ltd. [PRS]; “Currents and Crime Scenes” by Dylan Matthew Love and Harry Gregson Williams [BMI], Atmosphere Music Ltd. [PRS] This video can be freely shared and downloaded at While the video in its entirety can be shared without permission, the music and some individual imagery may have been obtained through permission and may not be excised or remixed in other products. Specific details on such imagery may be found here: For more information on NASA’s media guidelines, visit If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel: Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center · Instagram: · X: · Facebook: · Flickr: