Northern Lights

Northern Lights

The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are a natural light display predominantly seen in the high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic. The phenomenon is caused by the collision of solar particles and gases in the Earth's atmosphere.

Etymology

The term "Aurora Borealis" is derived from the Latin words "Aurora" meaning "dawn" and "Boreas" meaning "north wind". The name was coined by Galileo Galilei in 1619, who was inspired by both the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek term for the north wind, Boreas.

Scientific Explanation

The Northern Lights are the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere and charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. Variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding. The most common auroral color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above Earth. Rare, all-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to 200 miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora.

Observation

The best places to watch the Northern Lights are in the northwestern parts of Canada, particularly the Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Alaska. They can also be observed over the southern tip of Greenland and Iceland, and from the coastal areas of Norway and over the northern coast of Siberia. The Northern Lights also have a southern counterpart, the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis, which can be observed from high southern latitudes in Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia.

Cultural Significance

The Northern Lights have had a number of interpretations in folklore and mythology. In Norse mythology, they were believed to be the glow from the shields of the Valkyries, warrior maidens who would choose who may die in battle and who may live. Some Inuit tribes believed that the lights were the spirits of their ancestors playing a game in the sky.

See Also

• Aurora
• Geomagnetic storm
• Solar wind
• Magnetosphere