Earth's magnetosphere. Illustration of the Earth (centre right) and its magnetosphere (blue, magnetic field lines shown) protecting it from cosmic radiation and the solar wind (Sun at upper left). Most of the charged particles from the Sun are diverted around the Earth. Some are trapped and guided by the Earth's magnetic field towards the polar regions, where they impact the atmosphere and cause the aurorae. The Earth's magnetic field is compressed into a bow shock on the side facing the Sun, and trails away from the Sun on the other side of the Earth, forming the magnetotail. The turbulent boundary area is the magnetosheath.