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• The aurora borealis is a natural atmospheric phenomenon that consists of multicolored lights visible to the naked eye in polar zones.

• Fast Facts

  1. Also called northern lights, aurora polaris and aurora australis (in the Southern Hemisphere)
  2. Possible to forecast through the analysis of solar activities
  3. Most visible at night during spring and autumn
  4. Named by GalileoNORDLYS: Aurora Borealis
  5. Occur 60 to 620 miles above the earthWorld Book at NASA: Aurora
  6. Most common color is green
  7. Displays may be thousands of miles long

• Cause

  The aurora are produced when electrically charged solar particles become trapped at the polar regions by the earth's magnetic field. When these solar particles come into contact with atmospheric gases, they produce light particles called photons which, in large quantities, become visible to the naked eye.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Northern Lights Energy | Meteorology | Magnetism | NASA | Astronomy | Fall Equinox | Saturn Aurora

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