What Causes Auroras, and Why Do They Happen Only Near the Poles?

Auroras are like Earth's light show, made by charged particles from the Sun. These tiny electric travelers zoom through space and hit our planet’s magnetic shield, the magnetosphere. When they reach the top of the atmosphere near the poles, they light up the sky with swirling colors. This is why auroras only happen close to the North and South Poles.

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Examples

A little boy sees green lights swirl above his head while standing at the top of the world, near the North Pole.
A lady wearing a red scarf stands outside on a cold night in Alaska and watches bright lights dance across the sky like fireflies.
A child looks up from her bed and sees an amazing light show, glowing colors that look just like a starry sky.

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Categories: Space · aurora· space weather· magnetosphere· solar wind· north pole· south pole