How Do the Northern Lights Happen? Demystifying the Aurora

The Northern Lights are one of the world’s most notable natural wonders, stunning tourists all over the world. It is often included on bucket lists, and the mere chance of seeing these colorful waves in the night sky motivates millions to spend money and fly every year. But, how do the Northern Lights happen? It’s time to understand the science behind it, so you can be prepared the moment you see it for yourself.

How Do the Northern Lights Happen?

The Northern Lights, also called the Aurora Borealis, are waves, spirals and curtains of color-changing light in the night sky. Despite the fact you can only see them at night, the Aurora happens because of the Sun.

Earth is surrounded by a strong magnetic field, which is strongest at the Earth’s Poles. The Sun is a constantly raging entity, pushing out intense amounts of supercharged particles in the form of solar storms. The contents of the magnetic field and atmosphere, including molecules, come into contact with the solar storm’s particles. 

When the remnants of these events come into contact with Earth’s magnetic field and robust atmosphere, then the sky will start to light up. It permeates through the atmosphere, lying low and high on the Earth.

If the lights are just collisions or molecules and particles, then why are there so many colors? The lights can be:

• Pink
• Blue 
• Purple
• Red
• Green
• Yellow

The atmosphere has tons of different gases, including oxygen, argon and nitrogen. The characteristics of these elements are what gives them color. Altitude and intensity of the reactions also determine the color’s brightness and the movements of the curtains. This is also called “excitation” by scientists and those who chase the Aurora. 

Where Can You See the Northern Lights?

Now that you know how they happen, you need to know where these specific circumstances occur. You can mostly see them at the Earth’s Poles, though there are times when they extend much further south. Because of the strength of the magnetic fields in the North and South Poles, this is where you can see them the brightest and most consistently.

There are also the lesser-known Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis. If you’re ever in Antarctica, you might be able to catch it, particularly in the summer months. However, they are often overshadowed by the Northern sibling because they are easier to access.

If you’re hunting for the lights, you can also determine your destination by the Northern Lights’ colors. While the Northern Lights are often multicolored, there are some places where certain ones are more prominent than others. This can provide a completely unique viewing experience.

For example, Canada and Iceland are wonderful places to see the green ribbons. It is also one of the easiest to see against a dark blue sky, whereas purples could get muddied against a navy backdrop. Scandinavia is also a wonderful place to find hints of yellow.

The bright reds and pinks are some of the most underrated. This is when oxygen is reacting in high altitudes. China is known for its red aurora, which is dictated in its mythology.

What Does Mythology Say?

Many cultures worldwide created their own origin stories for the Aurora before it was able to be fully explained. What are some of the best stories shared around the globe that make the Lights’ history even more wondrous?

Finland

The people of Finland believe the beauty of the Lights comes from a celestial fox. As it runs, it fans its tail, leaving behind a colorful trail. This is called “revontulet,” which translates loosely to “fox fire.”

China 

Because the red lights are relatively common in China and the Eastern Hemisphere, several cultures believe they are created by dragons. These massive, celestial beings — some good and some evil — are in a constant battle, leaving trails of energy in their wake.

The Ancients Greeks and Romans

Greece and Rome had their own take on the Aurora’s origins. Their gods personified many of the celestial bodies. So, it makes sense that the lights would be created by the sister of Helios, the Sun, and Selene, the moon. She rode in a chariot much like Apollo, racing in the skies to alert when the new days were coming.

Norse

The Valkyrie are figures in Norse mythology that bring warriors to Valhalla. They shine in radiant armor and fly with strength. Some believed the Lights were actually the Valkyrie glowing from the heavens.

Inuits

Inuits also saw the Aurora as a competitive entity, but in a much different way. Their word for it is aksarnirq, which loosely translates to “football player.” Those who have died and passed on into the heavens could obviously have a little bit of fun. So, the running lights are just the spirits having a rousing game in the afterlife.

And this is only scratching the surface. As with any mythology translated through lost documents or oral traditions, numerous variations can exist.

What Are Some Fun Facts About the Northern Lights?

If you’re curious on a few more fun, scientific and magical tidbits about the Aurora, we’ve got you covered:

• Earth is not the only place that has an aurora-like effect. They have been witnessed on the gas giants — which makes sense!
• Some believe the Northern Lights have a sound, some call it clapping while others say it’s more of a song.
• Solar storms are strong, and if they get too wild, they can impact the Earth’s technology and radio signals. While they may be pretty, they could impact critical operations.

How Do the Northern Lights Happen?

While the world’s mythologies would tell you otherwise, the Northern Lights are merely a scientific wonder. This shouldn’t demystify the Lights for anyone, especially if you believed they were in some way magical. Learning about how the Northern Lights happen should make you feel more inspired and fascinated by how the world works.

There are tons of mind-boggling phenomena happening every day, and pulling back the curtain to know more will only make the planet more impressive.