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Aurora

Several terms redirect here. For other uses, see Aurora (disambiguation), Aurora Borealis (disambiguation), Aurora Australis (disambiguation), Northern Lights (disambiguation), and Southern Lights (disambiguation).

Northern Lights with very rare blue light emitted by nitrogen
Aurora corealis shines above Bear Lake near Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
Aurora australis in Antarctica
Red and green Aurora in Fairbanks, Alaska
Images of auroras from across the world, including those with rarer red and blue lights
Aurora australis seen from the ISS, 2017[1]

An aurora[a] (pl. aurorae or auroras),[b] also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis),[c] is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers covering the entire sky.[3]

Auroras are the result of disturbances in the Earth's magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. Major disturbances result from enhancements in the speed of the solar wind from coronal holes and coronal mass ejections. These disturbances alter the trajectories of charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma. These particles, mainly electrons and protons, precipitate into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere). The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emit light of varying colour and complexity. The form of the aurora, occurring within bands around both polar regions, is also dependent on the amount of acceleration imparted to the precipitating particles.

Most of the planets in the Solar System, some natural satellites, brown dwarfs, and even comets also host auroras.

  1. ^ "Southern Lights over the Australian Bight". NASA. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  2. ^ "University of Minnesota Style Manual". .umn.edu. 18 July 2007. Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  3. ^ Lui, A., 2019. Imaging global auroras in space. Light: Science & Applications, 8(1).


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