The Northern Lights TASK ONE 1.Identify the source of information 2.Watch the following videos and list at least five points from the videos. Add these to the brainstorms on your sheet a)Clip 1Clip 1 b)Clip 2Clip 2 c)Clip 3Clip 3 Northern Lights

LOCATION

Location 1.It can be found in the North Pole. 2.It can also be found around the South Pole.

Location It is visible during September to October and from March to April.

Location Sweden Norway Canada Russia Greenland Antarctica

NAMES

Names The northern lights is also known as Aurora Borealis. Aurora = Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora and the Borealis = Greek name for the north wind, Boreas.

Names The Northern lights is also called the Aurora Borealis.

Names The Northern lights is also called the Dance of Spirits.

Names The Southern Lights is also known as Aurora Australis.

WHAT IS IT?

What is it? 1.The Sun sends solar winds and charged particles (cosmic rays) to the Earth. 2.The Earth’s magnetic field deflects cosmic rays, causing them to spiral around the magnetic field close to the North and South Poles. 3.Electrons in the atmosphere make atoms glow in different colours.

What is it?

ART

Art Viking ships below the aurora arcs, from Snorre Sturluson, Norway's Royal Sagas

Art A drawing of northern lights made during a French expedition to Alta in

Art One writer expressed these feelings as he watched a beautiful auroral display: "No pencil can draw it, no colours can paint it, and no words can describe it in all its magnificence."

OTHER PLANETS

Other Planets Jupiter

Other Planets The Northern Lights can also be found on other planets. Jupiter and Saturn both experience the Northern Lights. The Hubble Space telescope has photographed this. To the right is an image of Jupiter.

MYTHS

Myths Since people in olden times did not understand what northern lights were, they often created myths and superstition to explain the dancing spirits or fighting hordes in the sky. Auroras were commonly associated with dancing in Norway; inhabitants believed that northern lights were old maids, dancing and waving.

Myths Vikings During the Viking period, northern lights were referred to as reflections from dead maidens. Scottish The well-known Scottish expression for auroras is "merry dancers". Eskimos (Intuits) Among the Eskimos in Greenland and northern Canada, the aurora was the realm of the dead, and when the lights changed rapidly, it meant that dead friends were trying to contact their living relatives.

Myths Native Americans Many native Americans believed that they could conjure up ghosts and spirits by whistling to the lights. It was a common belief that the northern lights were the reflections in the sky of huge fires in the distant north, or that the mighty God himself lighted up the dark and cold parts of the world.

Myths Danish One romantic idea found in Danish folklore is that these lights were due to a group of swans flying so far to the north that they were caught in the ice. Each time they flapped their wings, they created reflections which created the northern lights.

A vengeful force In ancient times, most people were afraid of the lights. Children would be brought inside when the mystifying flames of auroras spread across the heavens, for the lights could descend and cut their heads off. Thus, in many places northern lights were a threat to people's lives and health. In many areas in the Nordic countries it was widely believed that the northern lights were a vengeful force which killed those who mocked it. The mythological role of the aurora was important in religion. Many believed it was a message from the creator. Flaming auroras reminded people that their creator still cared for them. An old tale from the Nordic countries said that, "God is angry when the aurora flames". It was a common interpretation during medieval times that northern lights were an omen of war, or disasters or plagues. It was concluded that many serious disasters were caused by the aurora. Myths

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Northern Lights REFLECTING ON OUR LEARNING 1.What did you learn about the Northern Lights? 2.Why are they a natural wonder of the world? 3.Do you think they should be? 4.What interests you about them? 5.Do you have any questions you would like to ask?