Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago

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What started as a misnomer and misclassification of a rare Aurora phenomenon turned into quite the fun story. How Steve got its name.

Something originally called a "proton arc" to describe a lavendar ribbon in the night sky on active aurora nights. Turns out it has nothing to do with protons! in a pinch, Chris Ratzlaff of Alberta Aurora chasers coined the name "steve" from over the hedge, the name they give to the mysterious bush. Later, that name was given a backronym "STEVE" solidifying the temporary name.


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