USA sees rare aurora borealis caused by solar storm; see photos

Classified as a natural and optical phenomenon, the aurora borealis only exists thanks to the Sun. In addition to heat and light, the star sends a lot of energy and various particles to Earth, which is protected from them by its magnetic field.

It is when streams of these highly energized particles, known as solar winds, pass around the magnetosphere that the aurora borealis occurs. The planet’s magnetic field protects us from cosmic radiation, but the shield is naturally weaker at the north and south poles, which allows the solar wind to glide through the atmosphere — generally between 100 and 300 km above Earth’s surface.

As solar particles pass through the atmosphere, they superheat the gases, which then glow vibrantly in the night sky. What we see in the sky, therefore, are millions of individual collisions that follow the lines of the Earth’s magnetic field.

Auroras generally appear greenish in color, because oxygen atoms, abundant in the part of the atmosphere that the solar wind reaches, emit this tone.

The duration of the aurora borealis, as well as its appearance, is unpredictable. It can last a few minutes or hours. The best places to enjoy the Northern Lights range from Alaska to Iceland, through Canada, Greenland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and even some points further north in the USA.

In the beliefs of ancient Norse people, the aurora borealis was an omen of war and, therefore, scared everyone whenever it appeared. Centuries ago, it was related to the activities of spirits and the dancing lights in the sky were called “giant arctic foxes”. Nowadays, however, the luminous spectacle enchants many tourists, who travel to the Arctic region just to “hunt” for the Northern Lights.