Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Aurora is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic. It is caused by the interaction between charged particles from the Sun and Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere.
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Auroras are most commonly observed near the polar regions, referred to as Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere.
The phenomenon occurs when solar wind particles collide with gases like oxygen and nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere, causing them to emit light.
The color variations in auroras are due to different gases; for example, green auroras are typically caused by oxygen at lower altitudes while red auroras come from oxygen at higher altitudes.
Auroral activity increases during periods of high solar activity such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
In addition to being visible from Earth, auroras can also be detected via satellite imagery and other space weather monitoring tools.
A stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun, which interacts with Earth's magnetic field to create phenomena like auroras.
The region around Earth dominated by its magnetic field, protecting it from solar wind but also channeling these particles towards the poles where they cause auroras.
Coronal Mass Ejection (CME): A significant release of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona that can enhance geomagnetic storms and increase auroral activity when it reaches Earth.