The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, are an ethereal display of brilliant lights in the sky that have long mesmerized people. Stunning pictures of this natural event are going viral right now. So what specifically brings about this arresting display? This explanation will examine the science underlying the Northern Lights and go through all the pertinent information.
Interpreting the name
The Italian scientist Galileo Galilei coined the phrase “aurora borealis” in 1619 and called it after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas.
The earliest recorded auroral citation, which dates to 2600 B.C., is from China, according to a NASA investigation. The star Su, which is part of the constellation Bei-Dou, was surrounded by powerful lightning as seen by Fu-Pao, the mother of the Yellow Emperor Shuan-Yuan, and the brightness lighted the entire area. While the first known portrayal of an aurora is supposed to have been made in Cro-Magnon cave drawings in what is now France, back around 30,000 B.C. (ALSO: See this mesmerizing video of the northern aurora borealis and be astounded. Watch)
Mythology around the aurora borealis
Since ancient times, mankind has been enthralled by the mysterious Aurora borealis. The aurora borealis is said to be generated by a mythical Firefox that runs through the snow and shoots sparkles into the sky with its tail, according to a well-known Finnish folktale. Northern Scandinavia’s Sami people held the opinion that it was improper to talk about the Northern Lights since they were regarded to be the dancing ghosts of the dead. In Norse mythology, the Northern Lights were considered to be reflections of the Valkyries’ (female warriors who choose who would live or die in battle) armor as they led the soldiers to Odin. (ALSO: Your jaw will drop at these mesmerizing images of the aurora borealis in Alaska.)
The enigma underlying the interesting lights is still being investigated by scientists. Even the man who gave them their name, Galileo, believed the auroras he observed were brought on by sunlight reflecting off the atmosphere.
The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, are thought to be caused by electrically charged solar particles colliding with particles in the Earth’s atmosphere, according to the most widely accepted explanation.
A solar wind of charged particles is continuously produced by the sun and leaves the solar system. These charged particles are guided towards the polar regions of the Earth by the magnetic field, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere to produce light.
The types of gas particles in the Earth’s atmosphere that the solar wind particles contact with have an impact on the colors of the aurora. Although oxygen creates green and red colors, nitrogen provides blue and purple hues.
Similar to the Aurora Borealis, the Southern Lights, often referred to as the Aurora Australis, is a natural light show that may be viewed in the southern hemisphere. It is less well-known than the Northern Lights since there are fewer places on earth in the southern hemisphere where the lights may be seen properly. In addition, the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, which are both distant and challenging for most people to access, are the places where the Aurora Australis can be viewed most regularly. Pictures of the Southern Lights taken from the International Space Station depict a stunning scene.
The activity of the sun, the magnetic field of the Earth, and weather patterns are only a few of the many variables influencing aurora visibility.
Long stretches of darkness fall over the northern regions during the winter, which makes it simpler to see the Northern Lights. It is difficult to monitor the polar regions in the summer because of the practically constant daylight.
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