Imagine the sun is like a giant balloon full of air, and sometimes it lets out big bursts. These bursts travel through space to Earth, like a gust of wind. When they hit Earth’s invisible shield (called the magnetosphere), they make colorful lights in the sky, that's the aurora borealis! It usually happens near the poles because those places are where the shield is weakest.
Examples
- Imagine the sun is sneezing, and its sneeze travels all the way to Earth. That's like a solar wind, and it makes beautiful lights in the sky.
- The aurora borealis can look like someone painted the sky with magic colors, sometimes green, red, or even purple.
- You might see an aurora if you live near the North Pole during winter.
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See also
- What Causes Auroras and Why Do They Dance?
- What Causes Aurora Borealis, and Why Do They Dance?
- What is CMEs?
- Who is Northern Lights?
- How does the Northern Lights actually form?