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 

Latest Updates

green auroras over a harbor and a boat monument

'Absolutely bonkers' aurora lights up the sky above Iceland (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

A physics student and 'aurora chaser' got a special treat after reserving a cabin in Iceland: A storm surge of green auroras shimmering in the sky just overhead.

The Northern Lights over the frozen Lake Superior in Michigan, in 2006.

Solar storm could make auroras visible from northern Maine or Michigan tonight

By Elizabeth Howell published

A slight bump in activity on the sun might make auroras shine as far south as Maine or Michigan, but that's only if observers can get around a massive winter storm in the region.

Pink auroras shimmering above the Arctic landscape in Norway.

Super rare pink and orange auroras surprise Norwegian skywatchers again

By Tereza Pultarova published

For the second time in less than two months, Norwegian skywatchers were stunned by extremely rare pink auroras which at moments turned into even rarer shades of orange.

boxy spacecraft against red cratered surface

Mars orbiter notches 1st sighting of simultaneous auroras with different causes

By Keith Cooper published

NASA's MAVEN mission spotted two different types of auroras glowing in ultraviolet light as charged particles riding the solar storm streamed into the Martian atmosphere.

Extremely rare pink auroras temporarily filled the skies above Norway after a crack in the Earth's magnetosphere enabled solar wind to penetrate deep into Earth's atmosphere.

Solar storm smashes hole in Earth's magnetosphere, triggering extremely rare pink auroras

By Harry Baker published

On Nov. 3, a solar storm caused a temporary crack in Earth's magnetic field. The resulting hole enabled energetic particles to penetrate deep into the planet's atmosphere and set off extremely rare pink auroras.

blue ribbon of light appearing over Abisko National Park, Sweden.

Mysterious blue 'aurora' over Lapland surprises skywatchers (photos)

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

A strange blue aurora has been spotted in the skies over Abisko, Sweden. Could a Russian submarine be the culprit of the mysterious light show?

green aurora waves over earth

Auroras blasted a 250-mile-wide hole in Earth's ozone layer

By Elizabeth Rayne published

Auroras set off spectacular light shows in the night sky, but they are also illuminating another reason the ozone layer is being eaten away.

The arch of the Milky Way above the South Pole Telescope amid the progressing lunar eclipse accompanied by a magnificent aurora display.

South Pole's never-ending night and daily auroras are a dream for astrophotographers

By Tereza Pultarova published

Astronomer Aman Chokshi talks about indulging his passion for astrophotography during a year-long expedition to the South Pole where he's been working as an astronomer maintaining a unique telescope.

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 last updated

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.