Auroras
Elise K.
Auroras
They are colored lights/ gases that people originally thought were supernatural. Auroras are named after the Greek goddess Aurora, goddess of the morning. They are also so powerful that they can cause electrical surges. You are able to see them on the ground and even in outer space.
How and Why they are Formed
Auroras can take many forms. But they are formed when plasma heads toward the Earth at around 500 mph and collides with our magnetic field. This causes the molecules to make neon light. The most common colors you can see are green made by oxygen atoms, red made by oxygen atoms up higher, and purplish pinkish when the nitrogen molecules are down lower.
Where and When they Occur
The summer solstice is Aurora season which is in September. You can normally see Auroras during or after an intense magnetic storm. Towards the poles it is easier to see them because of the higher magnetic force. You can also see them in the northern hemisphere as far south as Wisconsin.
Night of the Northern Lights
This video was made using time lapse.
This is a picture of an Aurora in Britain from space.
Bibliography
- Bortolotti, Dan, and Yuichi Takasaka. Auroras: Fire in the Sky. Richmond Hilll, Ont.: Firefly, 2011. Print.
- Chumack, John. Aurora. 2014. Alaska. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
- Colosimo. Beautiful Red Auroras. 2013. Aurora Corona Colosimo Photography, Fairbanks, Alaska.
- NASA. Aurora Borealis in Britain. 2012. Outer Space, Britain. The Telegraph. Web. 9 Nov. 2014.
- NASA. "Auroras." NASA. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2014.
- NASA. "What Causes Auroras." (n.d.): n. pag. NASA. Web. 6 Nov. 2014.
- Night of the Northern Lights. Dir. Maciej Winiarczyk. You Tube. N.p., 6 Mar. 2014. Web. 9 Nov. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVsONlc3OUY>.