What Causes the Aurora Borealis to Appear?

The Northern Lights are like a magical show in the sky, caused by tiny invisible travelers from the Sun. These travelers, called charged particles, jump into Earth’s atmosphere and make colorful lights we can see. They dance when they hit gases like oxygen and nitrogen high up in the air. Some nights, you might even see green or purple swirls depending on what kind of gas is there.

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Examples

  1. A child watches the sky light up in green and purple swirls from their bedroom window.
  2. A person on a winter hike sees shimmering colors dancing above them as they walk through snow.
  3. A group of friends takes pictures of the Northern Lights while camping under the stars.

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