A

David

Darling

magnetotail

Earth's magnetotail. Image credit: ESA

Earth's magnetosphere. Credit: ESA.


The magnetotail is the part of a planet's magnetosphere that is elongated away from the Sun by the solar wind. Earth's magnetosphere extends about 65,000 kilometers on the dayside but more than 10 times further (beyond the Moon's orbit) on the nightside. Jupiter's magnetotail extends beyond the orbit of Saturn.