Hidden Edge of a Solar Eruption Unmasks Gaps in Space-Weather Forecasts

NASA’s Europa Clipper detected an unusual, hotter-and-sparser solar wind during a routine instrument check, traced to a complex, irregular coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. Using data from 17 spacecraft, scientists mapped the CME’s distorted shape and found a component headed toward Earth that wasn’t visible from Earth’s view, revealing a blind spot in space-weather forecasting. The finding underscores the need for out-of-ecliptic observations to better shield future crewed missions from solar radiation.