Auroras

In Context

• A stunning aurora glow was recently observed above Iceland after a ‘dead’ sunspot erupted.

Auroras on Earth

• An Aurora is a display of light in the sky predominantly seen in the high latitude regions (Arctic and Antarctic). It is also known as a Polar light.
• Caused when solar wind (charged particles ejected from Sun’s surface) enters Earth’s atmosphere & interacts with different gases causing a display of light, called aurora.
  • Earth’s geomagnetic field shields humans from these harmful particles.
• At Earth’s high latitude regions (auroral oval), particles continuously stream down causing polar light, active all year round.
• While usually a milky greenish colour, auroras can also show red, blue, violet, pink, and white. These colours appear in a variety of continuously changing shapes.
• North Pole: Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights & are visible from the US (Alaska), Canada, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden & Finland.
• South Pole: Aurora Australis/Southern Lights & are visible from Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand & Australia.

Do other Plants have Auroras?

• Auroras are not just something that happens on Earth. If a planet has an atmosphere and magnetic field, they probably have auroras.
• Recently, the Hope spacecraft has captured images of discrete auroras on Mars.

Source: LiveScience