Lyman alpha airglow observations from SORCE SOLSTICE

The Solar Stellar Irradiance Comparison Experiment (SOLSTICE) instrument on board the Solar Radiation Climate Experiment (SORCE) spacecraft in low Earth orbit observes stars every orbit for in-flight calibration. It also observes several star-free regions of the sky near the wavelength of Lyman alpha to correct for airglow emission in the stellar measurements. Although the airglow measurements are only taken during the eclipse portion of the orbit, the look directions cover nearly the entire anti-sunward hemisphere. This seven-year record of Lyman alpha airglow observations (2003-2010) shows the response of the Hydrogen geocorona to changes in the solar Lyman alpha irradiance over the solar cycle.