Aurora By: Tasya/6B

What is Aurora? An aurora is a natural light in the sky, usually it happens in the Polar Regions. In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis or northern lights, it was named after the Roman goddess of dawn, the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas, which is named by Pierre Gassendi.

What is the cause of Aurora? Aurora happens because of the collision or the crash of the charged particles director by the Earth’s magnetic field. Most auroras occur in response to energetic particles from a solar storm, which cause the gases of the thin upper atmosphere to glow. They take place at heights between 50 to 100 miles above the Earth. The aurora can last anywhere between a few minutes to several hours. The various colors, of which green and red predominate, are the results of various light emissions from oxygen and nitrogen gases being energized by the solar particles.

How it happens? Aurora occurs when the sun sends off particles to the empty space. These particles are charged and contain energy, which contribute to electricity. The particles flying in space are called solar wind. Sometimes the solar wind hits the Earth. Earth has a protection called the magnetic field and form most of the solar wind. In the Polar areas magnetic field is less powerful, and cannot protect Earth from the solar wind. When they hit the atmosphere is heated and excited and the energy gets away, a phenomenon, which people see as moving lights in the sky above 100 km altitude. An aurora can also occur following a solar event called a coronal mass ejection, when the charged particles rip through the electromagnetic field because of their power.

Effect of Aurora  Aurora effects the human being, at least its not directly experience. Evidence of this are the many legends and beliefs that are alive still today. Some of the effects of these beliefs are very positive.  Some of the particles, which enter the auroral zone, will collide/ heat with particles from the atmosphere and create the aurora. After the crash, these particles leave the magnetosphere and become part of the atmosphere, the impacts of these particles can have a amazing effect on the atmosphere. When FAC’s enter the atmosphere and create the aurora, they heat the atmosphere suddenly. This creates an impulse, which travels throughout the atmosphere and replied for a long time.

Interesting facts  Eskimos or Inuit believed that the natural phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights comes about because the spirits were playing football wearing sea lion skull in the sky.

Bibliography     the-auroral/#ixzz29hWy4DWY the-auroral/#ixzz29hWy4DWY    tml tml