PLAN
To observe the aurora borealis, you need to visit the Aurora Belt (between 60 and 70 degrees latitude), where the auroras appear frequently on the earth.
The observation equipment must be installed in candidate sites include Canada, Alaska, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. After negotiations, we were able to install the instruments at the Kiruna Esrange Optical Platform Site (KEOPS)1 at the Esrange Space Center (SSC)2 in Kiruna, Sweden. The observation equipment was installed on a hilltop about 4 km away from the office, because a location where lights reach from the ground is not suitable for aurora observation. The instruments can be controlled from the National Institute for Fusion Science. We plan to begin observations in September, when the auroras start to appear.
- 1. Esrange User's Handbook Vol 1 13 (34): https://sscspace.com/esrange-users-handbook/
- 2. Esrange Space Center: https://sscspace.com/esrange/
Observations will be made mainly in 2025, when auroral activity will be at its maximum. A three-year period 2023-2025 is the first phase, and another three-year period 2026-2028 is the second phase.