Does flying in a plane underneath the aurora expose a person to radiation Would it be dangerous

Published: September 28, 2009

The charged particles from space that generate the aurora never come closer than about 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.

Photo by Astronomy: Roen Kelly

Particles streaming into Earth's atmosphere during times of intense solar activity could expose airline passengers to slightly higher radiation, but the dose is so small and infrequent that it does not represent a significant hazard.

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