Science glossary film: Aurora

Also known as the Northern or Southern Lights. Natural displays of light in the polar regions clearly visible in the night sky. Aurorae are caused by the charged particles in solar wind colliding with atoms in the atmosphere, which causes light to be emitted. The colour depends on what type of atom is hit – typically green for oxygen, and red for nitrogen.

Aurorae are caused by the charged particles in solar wind colliding with atoms in the atmosphere, which causes light to be emitted. The colour depends on what type of atom is hit – typically green for oxygen, and red for nitrogen.