Aurora Borealis

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is the rippling night-sky light display found at the northernmost reaches of the Earth. The south has a corresponding aurora australis, also known as the southern lights. The northern and southern auroras occur when charged particles released by the sun, called the solar wind, are guided along the Earth's magnetic field to its poles and interact with particles in the upper atmosphere there. How to see the Northern Lights.

Related Topics: Earth, Solar Flares and Space Weather 

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starlink satellites fly in front of green aurora

Wow! Shiny SpaceX Starlink satellites soar with glowing aurora in stunning video

By Elizabeth Howell published

A trail of SpaceX Starlink satellites are visible in front of a haunting green aurora, as witnessed by AuroraWatchers.com in a video shot near Fairbanks on Sept. 2.

The Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement (STEVE), an unusual form of aurora borealis, photographed on September 5, 2022, above the Keweenaw Peninsula in Upper Michigan.

Odd aurora-like STEVE phenomenon captured in stunning night sky photo

By Tereza Pultarova published

A Michigan-based aurora chaser got an unexpected treat last night when an aurora-like ribbon of glowing stripes paraded just above his head.

The Northern Lights appear in the sky through a layer of smoke caused by multiple wildfires in the early hours of September 4, 2022 in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Stream of solar wind brings stunning aurora to north American skies

By Andrew Jones published

Violent activity on the sun last week resulted in stunning views for observers in the northern hemisphere over the weekend.

An image of the sun captured on Aug. 29, 2022 showing a large solar flare.

Trio of solar flares produce radio blackouts and dazzling auroras

By Brett Tingley published

Space weather watchers observed a series of powerful flares between Aug. 27 and Aug. 29, the most powerful of which registered as a moderate M8-class flare.

solar flare glowing on sun in green filter

Sizzling solar storm puts planet Earth on aurora watch (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Auroras have been swirling through the skies already this week as the sun awakens from slumber.

photo of green aurora displays

These astronaut photos of auroras seen from space are just breathtaking

By Jeff Spry published

Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti reveals breathtaking new auroral images from the International Space Station.

An image of the sun with a massive solar flare ejecting from its surface.

'Solar clock' could predict rhythms of dangerous weather in the sun's cycle

By Robert Lea published

For 400 years sunspots have been used to measure the sun's cycle, but a newly suggested 'circle of fifths' system could predict dangerous and violent solar events years in advance.

flare emerging from sun at bottom right

Storm-boosted auroras dazzle skywatchers around the world (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Auroras shone in many polar regions last night following a moderate-sized solar storm. And more might be coming after a more recent sun eruption.

green aurora waves over earth

Astronaut spots bright aurora storm from the International Space Station (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

A moderate-sized aurora glowed eerily green within view of the International Space Station crew, following a burst of activity from the sun.

Two coronal holes, areas with disrupted magnetic field, are visible on the face of the sun in this satellite image.

Solar burst from 'hole' in the sun may trigger geomagnetic storms on Earth

By Tereza Pultarova published

A strong geomagnetic storm may hit Earth on Thursday (Aug. 18), triggering stunning aurora displays farther away from the polar regions than usual.

The night sky light phenomenon called STEVE lights up a sky filled with stars over a lake.

'STEVE' descends on North America after surprise solar storm

By Brandon Specktor published

A surprise solar storm bashed Earth on Aug. 7 and 8, triggering an appearance of the mysterious glowing phenomenon called STEVE.

Auroras can be generated when the sun belches out particles that hit the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Stunning Northern Lights shine amid solar storm (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

Earth was zapped by a solar storm on Sunday (Aug. 7) and the activity generated enormous auroras, or northern lights, across a swath of the planet.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the solar flare May 3, 2022, which is visible at lower left.

Solar wind blowing from the sun could trigger aurora displays

By Tereza Pultarova published

Solar wind is blowing from the sun with unusual intensity these days, and space weather forecasters think it might make polar lights brighter.

A large fiery flare from the sun is hitting Earth.

The worst solar storms in history

By Tariq Malik published

Reference Earth is no stranger to the sun's wrath. From solar flares to coronal mass ejections, we take a look at some of the worst solar storms in history.

fish-eye images of purple and orange skies

Blood-red aurora transforms into 'STEVE' before stargazer's eyes

By Brandon Specktor published

New footage shows the mysterious auroral phenomenon called STEVE emerging from a blood-red arc of light in New Zealand in 2015.

Strong geomagnetic aurora borealis (northern lights) north of Fairbanks in Alaska.

Do extraterrestrial auroras occur on other planets?

By Joanna Thompson published

Auroras don't just exist on Earth. Here's what we know about auroras on other planets in the solar system.

Spacecraft studying Earth's magnetosphere collectively observed how solar particles reach the upper atmosphere and create glowing auroral beads in the night sky.

Glowing 'auroral beads' appear strung across the night sky. Here's what creates them.

By Samantha Mathewson published

A group of 13 telescopes allowed researchers to observe the process behind a unique type of aurora, known as auroral beads, for the first time.

A stunning time lapse of a total lunar eclipse above the South Pole.

South Pole aurora dances around total lunar eclipse in stunning astronomer photo

By Tereza Pultarova published

A stunning time-lapse photograph showing the May 15 total lunar eclipse and aurora above the South Pole Telescope in Antarctica.

The northern lights over Greenland. The oldest documented observation of an aurora may date to the early 10th century B.C.

Earliest documented aurora found in ancient Chinese text

By Laura Geggel published

The oldest documented observation of an aurora may be in an ancient Chinese text.

Artist's impression of discrete auroras over Mars.

Newfound auroras on Mars defy easy explanation

By Elizabeth Howell published

Scientists with the United Arab Emirates' Mars mission have spotted a 'worm-like' aurora stretching halfway across the Red Planet.