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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The RMS Titanic departing Southampton on April 10, 1912, four days before the disaster that claimed more than 1,500 lives.

An aurora that lit up the sky over the Titanic might explain why it sank

By Mindy Weisberger

A geomagnetic storm that sparked spectacular aurora displays could also have contributed to the sinking of the Titanic.

What might the "red sign" have looked like?

1,400-year-old mystery of strange 'red sign' in Japan's sky solved

By Meghan Bartels

A scarlet fan spread across the skies over Japan 1,400 years ago, and it's been puzzling astronomers ever since.

Aurora Over Abisko National Park in Sweden

Where to see the northern lights: 2020 aurora borealis guide

By Mike Wall, Elizabeth Howell

Where should you go to get the best look at the dancing, dazzling display known as the aurora borealis?

This new aurora, discovered by citizen scientists and dubbed "the dunes" extends out horizontally in waves. Scientists hypothesize that they are visible representations of underlying gravity waves.

Glowing green 'dunes' in the sky mesmerized skygazers. They turned out to be a new kind of aurora.

By Yasemin Saplakoglu

The pattern of light was unfamiliar and strangely perfect, reaching out toward the horizon like a set of celestial sand dunes.

In 2015, astronaut Andreas Mogensen snapped this photo of a thunderstorm from the International Space Station.

Lightning Bolts Create Glowing Auroral 'Elves' and Brilliant Gamma-Ray Flashes

By Yasemin Saplakoglu

Dark fluffy thunderclouds don't just fuel dramatic storms, they also produce some of the most energetic flashes of light on the planet.

The northern aurora lights up the sky over the Gulf of Finland.

Assyrian Tablets Contain Earliest Written Record of Aurora’s Sky Glow

By Mindy Weisberger

An image of the aurora as observed in 1872.

60-Year-Old Aurora Comes to Life in Vintage Film and Drawings

By Meghan Bartels

Six decades ago, a magnificent red splotch spread across the sky — and now, scientists think that by piecing together footage of the event, they better understand even older auroras.

STEVE, seen here in Washington in May 2016, is an aurora-like phenomenon, but it doesn't work quite the same way — and scientists think they finally know why.

That Weird, Aurora-Like Phenomenon Called STEVE Finally Has an Explanation

By Elizabeth Howell

Scientists finally have an explanation for the weird celestial phenomenon called STEVE, which looks and behaves a lot like an aurora but has key differences.

The northern lights glow over Abisko, Sweden in this view by photographer Oliver Wright taken on March 14, 2018.

High-Altitude Auroras Create 'Speed Bumps' for Satellites

By Mike Wall

A high-altitude version of the northern lights can create a headwind for some orbiting satellites, new research confirms.

Strange and colorful light configurations after an aurora were part of a NASA rocket test.

'Alien' Lights in Norway Were a NASA Test, Not an Extraterrestrial Visit

By Mindy Weisberger

'Alien' lights in Norway were a NASA mission, not an extraterrestrial visit.

An aurora that resembles a dragon recently loomed in the skies over Iceland, and NASA scientists aren't exactly sure why it showed up when it did in February 2019.

A 'Dragon Aurora' Appeared in the Sky Over Iceland, and NASA Is a Little Confused

By Brandon Specktor

A gargantuan green dragon hisses in the sky over Iceland this month and its appearance has scientists stumped.

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko captured this view of Earth from space in a spectacular time-lapse video from the International Space Station during his Expedition 58 mission.

Earth Looks Spectacular from Space in This Breathtaking Cosmonaut Video

By Meghan Bartels

Here's Why Auroras on Earth Are Different in the North and South

By Meghan Bartels

Hole in Sun's Atmosphere Amps Up Northern Lights

By Mike Wall

The northern lights just got a boost thanks to a big hole in the sun's atmosphere, and there could be something of a repeat showing tonight (Sept. 11).

See Saturn's Stunning Auroras Glow Over Time in These Hubble Photos

By Sarah Lewin

New images from the Hubble Space Telescope show Saturn's ultraviolet auroras swirling at the planet's north pole in the months before and after the northern summer solstice.

Why We Need Active Experiments in Space (Op-Ed)

By Gian Luca Delzanno

Active space-based experiments can deliver crucial insight into the space environment that has become increasingly vital to national security and the global economy.

Eerie Sky Glow Called 'Steve' Isn't an Aurora, Is 'Completely Unknown' to Science

By Brandon Specktor

There is a beautiful mystery in the sky, and its name is Steve.

Astronaut Snaps 'Mind-Blowing' Aurora Picture from Space

By Meghan Bartels

Most of us are lucky to catch a glimpse of a stunning aurora painting the skies once or twice in our lives — but astronauts have better odds of spotting the beautiful phenomenon.