This mini magnetosphere lies near the moon's equator, where sunlight reaches only half the time. This would limit the power available to charge solar arrays, should humans ever return to the moon.

But there's evidence other magnetospheres might lie in more favorable landing sites, offering some radiation protection for astronauts.

Earth is fully enveloped in its magnetosphere, because our planet's solid iron inner core rotates inside a molten outer core, creating a magnetic dynamo that generates a global magnetic field.

Extending up to 52,000 miles (78,000 kilometers) above the surface, Earth's magnetic field traps and redirects the constant stream of charged particles from the sun, aka the solar wind, which could otherwise fry life as we know it.

Sometimes, when a burst of solar