Radiation Belts

The radiation belts were first discovered in 1958 by James Van Allen. These areas around Earth are made up of charged particles that are trapped by our planet's magnetic field. These particles can damage satellites and hurt astronauts if they are exposed to too much radiation. The levels of radiation vary depending on the level of solar activity, with the inner and outer belts being the most dangerous for humans. There are two main types of radiation belts- the inner belt and the outer belt- each varying in size and shape based on the amount of solar activity.