What Causes the ‘Northern Lights’ and Why Are They So Colorful?

The Northern Lights are like a dance between the sun and Earth’s atmosphere. When the sun sends out fast particles, they zoom toward Earth and hit our air, which makes it glow. Different colors come from different kinds of air, like green light from oxygen or purple from nitrogen.

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When charged particles from the sun hit the air, it glows like magic
Oxygen makes green light, and nitrogen gives purple or blue
The lights are most common in the north of Earth because that’s where the magnetic field pulls them

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Categories: Space · Northern Lights,Aurora Borealis,Solar Wind,Space Weather