When the solar wind gets past the magnetic field and travels towards the Earth, it runs into the atmosphere As the protons and electrons from the solar wind hit the particles in the Earth’s atmosphere, they release energy – and this is what causes the northern lights
What is the northern lights caused by?
The northern lights are caused by electrons being blown out by the solar wind Sounds technical, right? Think of it this way: it’s like the sun burping out these really small particles (the electrons) into the air These tiny electrons mix with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, which makes them glow
Why are northern lights only in the North?
In the north, it is called Aurora Borealis and in the south, it is called Aurora Australias Of the two poles, the aurora can be seen the strongest near the arctic circle in the Northern Hemisphere The reason that the Aurora can only be seen at the poles has to do with how the Earth’s magnetic field acts
Why are the northern lights bad?
The Northern Lights occur so high up in the atmosphere that they don’t pose any threat to people watching them from the ground The aurora itself is not harmful to humans but the electrically charged particles produced could have some potentially negative effects to infrastructure and technology
Do Northern Lights make noise?
Listeners have described them as a faint rustling, clapping or popping An observer in the 1930s said the northern lights made “a noise as if two planks had met flat ways — not a sharp crack but a dull sound, loud enough for anyone to hear”Oct 12, 2021
Do the Northern Lights happen every night?
There is no official season since the Northern Lights are almost always present, day and night Caused by charged particles from the sun hitting atoms in Earth’s atmosphere and releasing photons, it’s a process that happens constantly
Does the South Pole have Northern Lights?
The electrons that create auroras start in the outer layers of the field, where it is compressed by the solar wind The north pole aurora is called the aurora borealis and the aurora at the south pole is called the aurora australis
Are there Southern Lights?
Yes, there are southern lights The aurora australis occurs around the southern magnetic pole, much as the aurora borealis (northern lights) occurs around the northern magnetic pole
Are Northern Lights caused by pollution?
What causes the Northern Lights? The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun’s atmosphere Blown towards the earth by the solar wind, the charged particles are largely deflected by the earth’s magnetic field
Can see Northern Lights with naked eyes?
The Aurora Borealis appears in a spectrum of colors Our naked eye can most easily see the green-yellow part of the spectrum where the sun emits most of its light Green is the most common color observed but the Northern Lights can also appear white-gray
How much does a trip to see the Northern Lights cost?
If you take a trip to see the Northern Lights on your own, you will spend much more on accommodation and transportation On the other hand, the Northern Lights Exploration tour costs $ 1916 ( $ 240 per day)
Are the Northern Lights GREY?
[The aurora or northern lights] only appear to us in shades of gray because the light is too faint to be sensed by our color-detecting cone cells Thus the human eye views the northern lights generally in faint colors and as shades of grey/white DSLR camera sensors don’t have the same limitation as our eyes
Why don’t you whistle at the northern lights?
They want to take somebody from the Earth to come with them So they could come down and take you if you look at them or you draw attention That’s why we say never whistle at them You’re not supposed to draw attention because they will find you
What does the Bible say about the northern lights?
The northern lights is also mentioned in the Bible, in the book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament In the 2,600 years old description it says:” I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north–an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light”
Can you touch an aurora borealis?
Secondly, the aurora are essentially photon emissions from nitrogen and oxygen molecules, so you can’t really touch it (as much as you can ‘touch’ a sunbeam) Even the gas that emits the photons is extremely tenuous
Where is the best place in the world to see the Northern Lights?
Tromsø, Norway Tromsø is northern Norway’s largest city and is situated in the middle of the auroral oval, the area noted for having the highest probability of seeing the lights
What states can you see the Northern Lights?
Here are five places in the United States where you can grab front row seats to view the Northern Lights Fairbanks, Alaska Priest Lake, Idaho Aroostook County, Maine Beaver Bay, Minnesota Upper Peninsula, Michigan
How likely are you to see the Northern Lights?
There is no guarantee to see the Northern Lights, even if you are in the best areas However, a bit of planning will radically increase your chances [1] In short, good periods are between late September and late March Statistically there are more Aurora Display in proximity of the two equinoxes
Is there land in the Arctic Circle?
The land within the Arctic Circle is divided among eight countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States (Alaska), Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut), Denmark (Greenland), and Iceland (where it passes through the small offshore island of Grímsey)
Does Antarctica have the northern lights?
Best Places to See Northern Lights This auroral zone covers Central and northern Alaska and Canada, Greenland, northern Scandinavia and Russia in the Northern Hemisphere, and Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere In the south, auroras can sometimes be seen from southern Australia, New Zealand, and Chile
How does aurora look like?
They can look like an orange or red glow on the horizon — like a sunrise or sunset Sometimes they may be mistaken for fires in the distance, like the American Indians thought They can look like curtains or ribbons and move and undulate during the night Auroras can be green, red or blue