The Solar Wind: A Heliophysics Sea Shanty (The Wellerman parody)

[Verse 1]

There once was a star in a galaxy

It was named the Sun and thankfully

It weaves a solar tapestry

Sends particles high and low

[Chorus]

Soon may the solar wind come

To bring us plasma and magnetism

Filled with hydrogen and helium

And the solar wind will blow

[Verse 2]

The solar wind charts a course

Pulling lines of magnetic force

Flowing outwards from the source

Throws particles to and fro

Hyuh!

[Chorus]

Soon may the solar wind come

To bring us plasma and magnetism

Filled with hydrogen and helium

And the solar wind will blow

[Verse 3]

The Earth spun with its iron core

While the solar wind knocks at the door

Magnetosphere screams “no more!”

Until it must let go

[Verse 4]

Once a magnetic line is freed

Buckling under the wind’s stampede

It whips back with tremendous speed

Sends particles to the poles

[Chorus]

Soon may the solar wind come

To bring us plasma and magnetism

Filled with hydrogen and helium

And the solar wind will blow

[Verse 5]

The particles speed back here

And ricochet through the atmosphere

Exciting oxygen and nitrogen there

Making those particles glow

[Verse 6]

On and on the cycle spins

Sun and Earth are celestial kin

Dancing through the solar wind

Connected by its flow

[Chorus]

Soon may the solar wind come

To bring us plasma and magnetism

Filled with hydrogen and helium

And the solar wind will blow

[Chorus]

Soon may the solar wind come

To bring us plasma and magnetism

Filled with hydrogen and helium

And the solar wind will blow