An aurora, sometimes referred to as the northern lights or southern lights, is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the night sky. Auroras are caused by energetic particles from the sun interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere. They appear as a greenish glow in the sky, often in the form of curtains or arcs of light.
The green aurora is perhaps the most common and spectacular of all aurora displays. The green color is produced by oxygen molecules located between 60 and 200 miles above the Earth’s surface. The green color is created when the oxygen molecules become excited by the energetic particles from the sun, or solar wind. This exciting event causes the electrons in the oxygen molecules to jump to a higher energy level. When the electrons drop back down to their original energy level, they emit a photon of light, which appears as a greenish glow in the night sky.
The green aurora can be seen in countries located in the auroral oval, a ring-shaped region around the Earth’s North and South poles. This ring-shaped region is where the Earth experiences the most intense interaction with the solar wind, and where the greatest auroral displays occur. To see the green aurora, viewers should look for the greenish glow in the night sky near the horizon.
Auroras are a stunning reminder of the beauty of nature and the power of the sun. The green aurora is an especially breathtaking sight, and is sure to be a highlight of any night sky watching experience.