Aurora colors: What causes them and why do they vary? | Space
WEBJun 23, 2023 · Auroras come in a wide variety of colors — from green to pink to blue and purple — that can leave skywatchers both mesmerized and mystified. But there's method to this auroral madness. In this...
Aurora Colors Explained - Southern and Northern Lights
WEBYellow-Green [100-300 km (60- 180 mi)]: Vivid lime green is the most common color of the aurora. It comes from monatomic oxygen (O), but while the red aurora comes from oxygen absorbing solar radiation, green comes from oxygen atoms colliding with lower-energy electrons released by excited nitrogen molecules (N 2+ ).
The colours of the northern lights | Canadian Space Agency
WEBThe northern lights most often occur at altitudes of 100 to 300 km in the atmosphere, but can sometimes occur at altitudes of up to 600 km from the ground. The following colours can be seen when the northern lights are in the sky. Green: Green is the most common colour seen from the ground and is produced when charged particles collide with ...
What is an aurora? The psychedelic lights explained - Astronomy …
WEBMay 10, 2024 · The color of the light corresponds to the release of discrete chunks of energy by the atmospheric particles, and is also an indicator of how much energy was absorbed in the initial collision. The...
Aurora Tutorial | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center
WEBon NOAA Scales. Aurora Tutorial. What is the Aurora? Aurora is the name given to the glow or light produced when electrons from space flow down Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere in a ring or oval centered on the magnetic pole of Earth.
What causes the different colors of the aurora? An expert explains …
WEB3 days ago · While green is the most common color to see in the aurora, and red the second most common, there are also other colors. In particular, ionized nitrogen molecules (N₂⁺, which are missing one ...
Northern lights (aurora borealis): What they are & how to see them
WEBlast updated 9 February 2024. The northern lights are an atmospheric phenomenon that's regarded as the Holy Grail of skywatching. northern lights appear as ribbons of green and purple light...
Aurora - National Geographic Society
WEBOct 19, 2023 · An aurora is a natural light display that shimmers in the sky. Blue, red, yellow, green, and orange lights shift gently and change shape like softly blowing curtains. Auroras are only visible at night, and usually only appear in lower polar regions.
Auroras really are happening more often now. Here’s why.
WEBMay 17, 2023 · Why are auroras green, red—and sometimes blue or purple? An aurora's colors signify where in the atmosphere, and with which gases, all of this is happening. For example, it takes almost two...
Explainer: How auroras light up the sky - Science News Explores
WEBOct 8, 2021 · Most glimmer green, but some shine red, blue or purple. Such breathtaking displays are considered one of the natural wonders of the world. But few people ever see them. Why? Auroras largely appear in the skies of Earth’s remote polar regions. Understanding light and other forms of energy on the move.
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