What Causes the ‘Northern Lights’ and How Are They Seen in Different Places?

The Northern Lights happen when tiny charged particles from the Sun zoom into Earth's atmosphere. These particles hit gases like oxygen and nitrogen, making them glow in different colors. People can see these lights in places with lots of open sky, like Alaska or Norway, because they're closer to the magnetic poles.

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Examples

A child in Alaska sees green ribbons swirling across the sky at night.
An astronaut on the International Space Station watches an aurora shimmer over Earth's horizon.
In Norway, a family gazes up in awe as purple and blue lights pulse like waves above them.

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Categories: Space · aurora borealis,space weather,solar wind