Abstract
Ask the average undergraduate if he or she has heard of the Van Allen Belt, the magnetosphere, or the solar wind and most likely you will get a blank stare. On the other hand, ask the same about black holes, pulsars, or the big bang theory. Chances are you will get a positive response; moreover, they'll have some idea of what at least one of these objects is and may be happy to start a conversation on the subject.Most students have heard of, or even seen, an aurora, but few have any idea of its source. This holds for most educated adults as well. At a beach party on the shore of Lake Superior last summer, I was besieged with questions about a bright aurora seen over the lake. I realized that there is no point in a traditional education where this aspect of nature is encountered.
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