Above is the first picture of the Earth in X-rays , taken in March with the orbiting Polar satellite . Bright X-ray emission is shown in red. Energetic ions from the Sun cause aurora and energize electrons in the Earth's magnetosphere . These electrons move along the Earth's magnetic field and eventually strike the Earth's ionosphere , causing the X-ray emission. These X-rays are not dangerous because they are absorbed by lower parts of the Earth's atmosphere.
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