what causes the different colors of the auroras
The otherworldly colors of the Northern Lights and Southern Lights have fueled folklore for millennia, but their cause is actually quite straightforward. The aurora is caused by the interaction of high-energy particles (usually electrons) with neutral atoms in earthâs upper atmosphere.This process is similar to the discharge in a neon lamp, or the fluorescence of a television screen. The strongest auroras are quite bright, comparable to moonlight.he atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen and oxygen, which emit the characteristic colors of their respective line spectra. Atomic oxygen is responsible for the two main colors of green (wavelength of 557.7 nm) and red (630.0 nm). Nitrogen causes blue and deep red hues.