- The natural light show known as Aurora Borealis (in the northern latitudes) is an amazing phenomenon. The colored lights gracefully dance through the atmosphere in the form of a curtain or diffused glow. The Aurora Borealis, as its nickname intends, can only be seen in the northern hemisphere sky.
- First of all, what are the northern lights? Well it's the form of polar lights (auroras) which is unique to certain places. They are most notable the North (Aurora Borealis) and the South (Aurora Australis.) It is the result of charged particles that have collided from both the magnetosphere and the Earth's upper atmosphere. Many of the particles arrive from a solar wind from the sun. When the collision happens the energy becomes "excited" and gradually dissipates. For example the color of the aurora depends on the molecules participating. The greens and reds in the aurora could be dealt from atomic oxygen, while blue/violet and a weak red emission could come from nitrogen ions and molecules.
- Another notable fact could be how the auroras aren't unique to Earth, they happen on other planets as well; such as planets with stronger magnetic fields, Jupiter and Saturn. Though, they aren't always seen they always exist on some plane of the planet. Most of the time they are extremely faint and many obstructions (such as other lights and clouds) make it impossible to see. A clear, night sky is the best environment for seeing any aurora. Aurora opportunities can be very rare in some places, but common in others.
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http://odin.gi.alaska.edu/FAQ/#what
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_%28astronomy%29
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