What Causes the Colors of Aurora Lights?

Imagine the sky is like a canvas, and tiny particles from the sun are like painters. When these painters zoom into Earth’s atmosphere, they bump into air molecules, making them light up in different colors, like green, pink, or purple. The color depends on which painter (particle) meets which molecule.

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Examples

  1. A painter throws green paint on the sky during a storm.
  2. Tiny particles from the sun bounce off oxygen in Earth’s air, making it glow blue.
  3. Nitrogen hits by energy gives the sky a purple shine.

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