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

The Northern Lights are like a sky show caused by space wind. When charged particles from the sun hit Earth's atmosphere, they bump into air molecules and make them glow. The colors depend on which gas is glowing, green is common, but sometimes you see purple or red too! This happens mostly near the poles because of Earth’s magnetic field.

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Examples

Imagine a tiny spaceship shooting colorful fireworks into the sky, that's what it looks like when the Northern Lights appear!
You're outside on a cold night and see green waves dancing across the sky, that’s the Northern Lights!
Sometimes you can even see red or purple streaks in the sky, which means different gases are glowing.

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Categories: Space · Northern Lights,Aurora Borealis,Space Weather