Difference between revisions of "Aurora"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
(Wikilinks (was a "dead-end" page)) |
NuclearNeil (talk | contribs) (Added reference to aurora australis. Changed description of auroral mechanism.) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | An aurora, or polar aurora, is a glow in the sky, seen often in a ring-shaped region around the [[magnetic pole]]s ("auroral zone") and occasionally further equatorward. | + | An aurora ([[Latin]] for "dawn"), or polar aurora, is a glow in the sky, seen often in a ring-shaped region around the [[magnetic pole]]s ("auroral zone") and occasionally further equatorward. Auroras occur at both [[magnetic pole]]s of the Earth. In the northern hemisphere, the phenomenon is referred to as the aurora borealis or the "northern lights". In the southern hemisphere, it is called the aurora australis. |
| − | + | ||
| + | Charged, energized particles from the sun, called the [[solar wind]], are captured by the Earth's magnetic field. The particles collide with [[atom]]s in the upper [[atmoshpere]], causing the [[atom]]s to become energized. These energized [[atom]]s then release their excess energy as light. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Auroras typically occur 100 km (60 miles) above ground. | ||
[[Category:Physics]] | [[Category:Physics]] | ||
Revision as of 03:30, September 11, 2007
An aurora (Latin for "dawn"), or polar aurora, is a glow in the sky, seen often in a ring-shaped region around the magnetic poles ("auroral zone") and occasionally further equatorward. Auroras occur at both magnetic poles of the Earth. In the northern hemisphere, the phenomenon is referred to as the aurora borealis or the "northern lights". In the southern hemisphere, it is called the aurora australis.
Charged, energized particles from the sun, called the solar wind, are captured by the Earth's magnetic field. The particles collide with atoms in the upper atmoshpere, causing the atoms to become energized. These energized atoms then release their excess energy as light.
Auroras typically occur 100 km (60 miles) above ground.