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).

Jan 14, 2025 · Frequently there are beautiful light shows in the sky. These lights are called auroras. If you're near the North Pole, it is called an aurora borealis or northern lights. If you're near the South Pole, it is called an aurora australis or the southern lights.

Feb 4, 2025 · Auroras are vibrant light displays created when energetic particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. These events, also seen on other planets like Saturn and Jupiter, result in a range of colors depending on altitude and the atmospheric gases involved. Scientists study auroras using tools like rockets, balloons, and ground-based …

Named for the Roman goddess of dawn, the aurora is a mysterious and unpredictable display of light in the night sky. The aurora borealis and aurora australis – often called the northern lights and southern lights – are common occurrences at high northern and southern latitudes, less frequent at mid-latitudes, and seldom seen near the equator.

Feb 1, 2025 · Aurora, luminous phenomenon of Earth’s upper atmosphere that occurs primarily in high latitudes of both hemispheres; in the Northern Hemisphere auroras are called aurora borealis, aurora polaris, or northern lights, and in the Southern Hemisphere they are called aurora australis or southern lights.

Oct 19, 2023 · An aurora is a natural light display that shimmers in the sky. Blue, red, yellow, green, and orange lights shift gently and change shape like softly blowing curtains. Auroras are only visible at night, and usually only appear in lower polar regions.

What is the Aurora? Aurora is the name given to the glow or light produced when electrons from space flow down Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere in a ring or oval centered on the magnetic pole of Earth.

May 10, 2024 · What is an aurora, and why do they come in different shapes and colors? An aurora is one of nature’s most spectacular sights, a dazzling glow in the upper atmosphere driven by space weather....

What are the northern lights? The northern lights is the name given to the colourful lights that can appear in the night sky over the northern hemisphere. When they appear in the southern hemisphere, they’re called the southern lights instead. This phenomenon is known as an aurora.

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are a spectacular, colourful display of light commonly seen in the night sky in the northern hemisphere. Auroras in the southern hemisphere are known as the southern lights, or aurora australis.