Northern Lights

The Lore of the Lights

The Northern Lights are also known as “Aurora Borealis” (Dawn of the North), and “Aurora

Australis” (Dawn of the South). They were named for a Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora. As for what they were, beliefs were different across the world. In medieval times, the lights were believed to be an omen of war or famine.

person in front of Northern Lights

This person takes in the green hues that are more typical with sightings of the lights

For the Maori of New Zealand, and much of North America, they were believed to be reflections of torches and campfires. The Menominee Indians of Wisconsin thought the lights were the spirits of hunters and fishers reincarnated as giants. The Inuit of Alaska believed they were the spirits of the animals they hunted.

The Science of the Aurora

Those beautiful dancing lights in the sky aren’t actually lights at all (or spirits, omens, giants, or fires). They are collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter our atmosphere.

Electrons and protons are thrown from the sun’s atmosphere during rotation. Next, these particles are pushed towards Earth, caused by what’s known as “solar wind”. These charged particles are usually

then deflected by Earth’s magnetic field. But, because the magnetic field is weaker at the northern and southern poles, some particles make it through. When those particles make it into the earth’s atmosphere, they collide with gas particles (oxygen or nitrogen) they emit light.

These light displays come in many different colors. Pale green and pink are the most common. However, red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have also been sighted. The pale green is produced by oxygen molecules about 60miles above the earth. The rarer red color is produced at a higher altitude, around a height of 200 miles. Blues and violets are produced by Nitrogen, instead of oxygen.

A clear and dark night is the best way to see the lights. They seem to move in a flowy fashion, akin to the movement of dancing or rivers flowing. No matter what color they are or way they move, the Northern Lights are an incredible sight to see!