St. Patrick’s Aurora Illuminates the Alaskan Night Sky
This majestic image of the dazzling green lights of the aurora borealis was captured on March 17, 2015, around 5:30 a.m. EDT in Donnelly Creek,…
The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a natural light display predominantly seen in high-latitude regions around the Arctic, including parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and Alaska. This phenomenon occurs when charged particles from the sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, resulting in collisions with atoms in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. These collisions emit light, which we perceive as vibrant and dynamic displays of color in the night sky, primarily in hues of green, but also occasionally in pinks, purples, reds, and blues. The lights can take various forms, including patches, scattered clouds of light, streamers, arcs, or rippling curtains. The intensity and frequency of the displays are influenced by the solar cycle and can be enhanced during periods of increased solar activity.
This majestic image of the dazzling green lights of the aurora borealis was captured on March 17, 2015, around 5:30 a.m. EDT in Donnelly Creek,…
The aurora borealis and moonglint shine bright in this astronaut photo of the Alaskan island chain. An astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) captured…
The Science New experiments have revealed the source of the aurora borealis. Alfvén waves accelerating electrons under conditions similar to those seen in the Earth’s…
A blast of high-speed solar wind provoked dancing auroras in early February. Auroras are a brilliant reminder that Earth is constantly absorbing energy from the…
Experiments at UCLA’s Basic Plasma Science Facility confirm interaction of electrons and Alfvén waves. The spectacularly colorful aurora borealis — or northern lights — that…
The aurora borealis, or northern lights, that fill the sky in high-latitude regions have fascinated people for thousands of years. But how they’re created, while…
Astronauts have snapped numerous photos of the light show from their unique perch on the International Space Station. There are few experiences quite like witnessing…
Our Sun provides the light and heat that energizes our plants, our solar panels and our weather, among other things. But its influence stretches over…
Notanee Bourassa knew that what he was seeing in the night sky was not normal. Bourassa, an IT technician in Regina, Canada, trekked outside of…
Newly released image of aurora borealis over Canada as seen by the crew aboard the International Space Station. The spectacular aurora borealis, or the “northern…
Using satellites, a ground-based array of all-sky cameras, and some spectacular aurora borealis, a team of scientists has uncovered evidence for an unexpected role that…
Astronomers launched a NASA-funded rocket into the aurora borealis, which are colloquially known as the northern lights. The 46-foot (14-meter) rocket, the Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling in…
An incredible new 5-minute video shows a time-lapse view of the Earth from the International Space Station. Words don’t do justice to the extreme beauty…