Aurora Borealis
by Martin Riedl/science Photo Library
Title
Aurora Borealis
Artist
Martin Riedl/science Photo Library
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Aurora borealis or northern lights display over a tent. Auroral displays are caused by interactions between energetic charged particles from the Sun and gas atoms and molecules about 100 kilometres up in the upper atmosphere. A stream of charged particles (the solar wind) flows out into space continuously from the Sun at speeds of 400-500 kilometres per second. On reaching Earth, the charged particles are drawn by Earth's magnetic field to the poles, where they collide with these gas atoms and molecules, causing them to emit light.
Uploaded
September 16th, 2018
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