Aurora Borealis, Alaska Kids' Corner, State of Alaska From "The Ballad of the Northern Lights" by Robert Service by Dr. Neil Davis (reprint) The Aurora, also known as the Northern Lights, has mystified people down through the ages, scientists, poets, and lay persons alike. Written records of so-called "great auroral displays" date back more than two thousand years. Sometimes the Aurora over Alaska and other auroral zones is barely visible or appears colorless and unmoving. But at other times the auroras can be incredibly bright, multihued and fast moving. Tall green curtains of lights, red tipped at their bottoms, stretch from horizon to horizon. They ripple and sway, fold and unfold, then suddenly disappear, only to reform in a new shape minutes later. For those who live in Alaska, the Aurora is a part of northern life. Fall, winter and spring is the special season for viewing the great lights for residents and off-season visitors. Some Alaskans have "Aurora Alerts;" when a display begins, the first person to spot them begins a phone tree to get the word out.

The "pulsating Aurora" is one form of Northern Light common during the post-midnight hours. It blinks on and off every few seconds as though controlled by some mysterious unseen hand in the sky flicking a switch. The great auroral displays are spectacular global events during which the Aurora spreads down from the polar regions to cover as much as two thirds of the earth's skies with bright, fast-moving masses of light, often deep red in color. The rare "great auroral displays" follow one or two days of violent solar flares in the vicinity of major sunspots. These solar flares cast out vast streams of electrically charged particles which stream down into the earth's atmosphere. These particles, mostly electrons and protons, are steered away from the tropical regions by the earth's magnetic field. Striking the gases of the earth's high atmosphere, the charged particles glow. It is exactly the same thing that happens in a television tube: complex streams of electrons within the TV strike the phosphor coated face of the tube, and cause it to glow, creating the colored moving patterns we see from our living room couches.

Outside, at night, we can look up at that great star-studded television tube in the sky; if the Aurora is out and no clouds are about, the colored patterns will be there too. Even though "great auroral displays" appear infrequently, spectacular displays of Aurora are common in Alaska and other auroral zone locations. This is because the sun is always sending out a stream of electrons and protons. They make up the solar wind which blows constantly toward the earth and other planets. Enough of the solar wind particles come into the earth's high atmosphere at the auroral zone to create continuous Aurora, summer, winter, fall and spring. Although much is known about the Aurora, this fascinating phenomenon still withholds some of its mysteries. For example, scientists do not yet understand why the Aurora is so highly structured. For the University of Alaska Fairbanks, this continues to be an important area of study. The most beautiful Aurora is composed of thin sheets that stretch upward a hundred miles or more and extend across the sky from horizon to horizon, like gigantic ribbons set on edge high above and parallel to the earth's surface. These arcs and bands whip and weave across the sky, and bright rays ripple along them at fantastic speed.

Some of these intricate multicolored forms have a thickness of only 100 meters, about the length of a football field, yet may be several hundred kilometers tall and well over 1,000 kilometers in length. It boggles the mind to realizeas has been proven by simultaneous observation in the two hemispheresthat these sharply defined auroral forms have an identical or nearly identical mate in the southern hemisphere, out of sight and almost a world away. Joined together by an invisible magnetic bond that arches far above the Equator, each pair of mated auroral dancers move across the cold polar skies in perfect harmony. Each motion or brightness change in one hemisphere is mirrored in the other, on a time scale of less than a fraction of a second. A most curious and highly controversial question involves auroral sound. Although I've never heard one, my wife has and so have several scientists I know. Some reports of hearing noises associated with auroral displays may be erroneous impressions, but I am convinced many others are not. Hundreds of written reports indicate noises are sensed when a particular type of fast-Aurora is nearly overhead. Some people sense whistling and crackling noises, even when they close their eyes.

The reports of auroral sound make it certain that the unknown cause of the apparent sound is in the vicinity of the hearer, not in the Aurora itself. Most likely, the reported noises are related to electrical phenomena which accompany certain types of bright Aurora. No matter how many auroras one may have seen, a good high-latitude display, as seen in Alaska, sends tingles up the viewer's spine. Even a moderate display seen at the auroral zone in the 49th state can be far more exciting to watch than one of the rare "great displays." The best of words and photographs fail to capture the magnificence of the high-latitude Aurora, although some of Robert Service's poetry may come close. THE AURORA has a curtain-like shape, and the altitude of its lower edge is sixty or seventy miles, about ten times higher than a jet aircraft flies. AURORAS OCCUR along ring-shaped regions around the north and south geomagnetic poles. Fairbanks, Alaska, is a good place for Aurora watching because it is under this region in the north, where people see Aurora Borealis, or northern lights; the southern Aurora is Aurora Australis.

LIKE A NEON SIGN, auroral light is produced by a high-vacuum electrical discharge. It is powered by interactions between the sun and earth. The light is a glow from atoms and molecules in the earth's upper atmosphere. THE SUN IS a ball of gases that is so hot its outermost part blows away as the solar wind. Consisting of charged particles, this tenuous gas travels to earth in about three days. Because the earth's magnetic field prevents the solar wind from penetrating our atmosphere, its solar particles stream around our planet, encasing earth and its magnetic field within a comet-shaped cavity called the magnetosphere. THE SOLAR WIND powers the gigantic electrical discharge process, causing the magnetosphere to behave as a generator that produces up to ten million megawatts of electrical power. THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE contains, at the lower edge of the Aurora, a thin and partly ionized layer called the ionosphere. Reflected by the ionosphere, radio waves can propagate great distances by bouncing between it and the ground. AURORAL DISPLAYS INDICATE that the ionosphere and our protective atmosphere are being energized by the electric power generated in the magnetosphere.

As these electrical currents are discharged in the ionosphere many phenomena are produced, including the visible emissions we recognize as the Aurora and magnetic storms. AURORAS ARE SIMILAR to color television images. In the picture tube, a beam of electrons controlled by electric and magnetic fields strike the screen, making it glow in colors that vary with the screen's phosphor. Auroral color depends on the type of atoms and molecules struck by the energetic particles, particularly electrons, that rain down along earth's magnetic field lines in the discharge process. Each atmospheric gas glows with a specific color, depending on whether it is ionized or neutral, and on the energy of the particle hitting the atoms and air molecules. THE BRIGHTEST and most common auroral color, a brilliant yellow green is produced by oxygen atoms at roughly 60 miles altitude. High-altitude oxygen atoms (about 200 miles) produce rare, all-red auroras. Ionized nitrogen molecules produce blue light, neutral nitrogen molecules create purplish-red lower borders and ripple edges. AURORAL INTENSITY varies from night to night and during a single night, with best viewing usually from late evening through the early morning hours.

Strong auroras can be seen in the continental U.S., particularly in the north during sunspot maximum years. The number of sunspots (a sign of solar activity) varies according to an eleven-year cycle a few years after a maximum sunspot year (such as 1991), auroras in high-latitude are more numerous. There's also a slight tendency for more auroras in spring and fall. THE MAGNETOSPHERE protects us from direct effects of the solar wind, but auroras can seriously disrupt radio communications, radio navigation, some defense-related radar systems, and power transmission lines. Current created by changing magnetic fields accompanying Aurora cause corrosion in pipes, including the trans-Alaska pipeline. Come to Interior or Northern Alaska during the late fall or winter months, particularly March when the skies are often clear and dark. Plan to spend a few days because the Aurora is, like the weather, variable. Aurora-watching and auroral photography is best done on clear, moonless nights. When flying between Seattle and Anchorage or Fairbanks in wintertime, take a night flight and sit on the right-hand side of the airplane going north (left-hand side of the airplane going south).

Don't be misled by seeing Aurora below the aircraft's wing; that Aurora is high over western Canada, at least 50 miles above the ground. The places where the auroral forms appear to "touch" the ground are about 600 miles distant. To be sure of seeing Aurora, plan to stay up most of the night. The best hours often are near midnight. Wear warm clothing. Stay away from city or other bright lights that can obscure the views. For a real treat, go to a hot springs resort where you can lay in an outdoor hot pool and watch the Aurora in comfort. If you plan to photograph the Aurora, bring a tripod. Bright as it is, the Aurora still requires time exposures of several seconds. Summer visitors to Fairbanks can view and purchase a video tape showing actual auroral motions at the University Museum. Each evening at nearby Ester, Alaska, Photosymphony Productions puts on a unique musical and photographic show entitled "The Crown Of Light" containing some of the finest photographic images of Aurora available anywhere. Links for More Information: How is the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) formed?

- Quora Quora Answer Wiki 10 Answers Written Jan 23, 2011 The solar wind, which is highly charged electrons protons, stream away from the sun at speeds of about 1 million miles per hour. When it reachs the earth, it hits the earth's magnetosphere, a teardrop-shaped area of highly charged electrical and magnetic fields. They bounce off the front of it, and slide up over the top and bottom of it. The magnetosphere curls in to ground level near the North and South Poles, sort of pumpkin-shaped. The electrons and protons sliding over the top and bottom slide down toward the ground near the earth's poles. The atmosphere is standing in their way of falling to the ground, and the molecules of gas in the air get smashed into by these fast, high energy particles, causing the gases to glow like neon. That, is how the Aurora Borialis (Northern Lights) and Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) work. The link here is about the same info, and has detail on which gases make which colors.

Written Aug 19, 2014 The Auroras, both surrounding the north magnetic pole (aurora borealis) and south magnetic pole (aurora australis) occur when highly charged electrons from the solar wind of the Sun interact with elements in the Earth's atmosphere. Solar winds stream away from the sun at speeds of about 1 million miles per hour. When they reach the earth, some 40 hours after leaving the sun, they follow the lines of magnetic force generated by the Earth's core and flow through the magnetosphere, a teardrop- shaped area of highly charged electrical and magnetic fields. As the electrons enter the earth's upper atmosphere, they encounter atoms of oxygen and nitrogen at altitudes from 20 to 200 miles above the earth's surface. The color of the aurora depends on which atom is struck, and the altitude of the meeting:- 1. Green - oxygen, up to 150 miles in altitude 2. Red - oxygen, above 150 miles in altitude 3. Blue - nitrogen, up to 60 miles in altitude 4.

Purple/violet - nitrogen, above 60 miles in altitude ​ Red aurora borealis over Wrangell/St.Elias National Park in Alaska​ Hope my answer helps you understand :) Written Oct 7, 2015 Earth have a strong magnetic field.When the charged particles from Sun solar wind interacts with this magnetic field bright coloured light display is produced.An aurora is a natural light display in the sky, predominantly seen in the high latitude ( Arctic and Antarctic ) regions. [nb 1] Auroras are produced when the magnetosphere is sufficiently disturbed by the solar wind that the trajectories of charged particles in both solar wind and magnetospheric plasma , mainly in the form of electrons and protons, precipitate them into the upper atmosphere ( thermosphere / exosphere ), where their energy is lost. The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emits light of varying colour and complexity. (Partly from wikipedia.) 150 Views Written Jul 11, 2015 1. The solar wind - a continuous flow of the Sun's magnetic field carrying charged particles (electrons and protons) from the Sun's atmosphere far out into the solar system. 2.

The "magnetosphere" - the area surrounding the Earth containing its magnetic field. The magnetic field is concentrated at the north and south magnetic poles 3. The Earth's atmosphere - the protective shield of gases that surrounds the planet. Electrically charged particles come from space (1) and enter the Earth's magnetosphere (2). They accelerate along the Earth's magnetic fieldlines which concentrate at the poles. The particles then plunge into the upper atmosphere (3) where they collide with the gases that surround the Earth. These collisions create energy, and the excess energy is given off in the form of light emissions. We call these light emissions the Northern Lights. What are the northern lights?(Everyday Mysteries: Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress) What are the northern lights? The northern lights, one of several astronomical phenomena called polar lights (aurora polaris), are shafts or curtains of colored light visible on occasion in the night sky. Polar lights (aurora polaris) are a natural phenomenon found in both the northern and southern hemispheres that can be truly awe inspiring. Northern lights are also called by their scientific name, aurora borealis, and southern lights are called aurora australis.

Sten Odenwald, author of The 23rd cycle, learning to live with a stormy star (New York, Columbia University Press, c2001), provides insight to how northern lights are formed: The origin of the aurora begins on the surface of the sun when solar activity ejects a cloud of gas. Scientists call this a coronal mass ejection (CME). If one of these reaches earth, taking about 2 to 3 days, it collides with the Earth’s magnetic field. This field is invisible, and if you could see its shape, it would make Earth look like a comet with a long magnetic ‘tail’ stretching a million miles behind Earth in the opposite direction of the sun. When a coronal mass ejection collides with the magnetic field, it causes complex changes to happen to the magnetic tail region. These changes generate currents of charged particles, which then flow along lines of magnetic force into the Polar Regions. These particles are boosted in energy in Earth’s upper atmosphere, and when they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, they produce dazzling auroral light.

Odenwald further tells us "Aurora are beautiful, but the invisible flows of particles and magnetism that go on at the same time can damage our electrical power grid and satellites operating in space. This is why scientists are so keen to understand the physics of aurora and solar storms, so we can predict when our technologies may be affected." Can I see them anywhere? Yes. Although more frequent at higher latitudes, closer to the poles (such as in Canada, Alaska, Antarctica), they have been seen closer to the equator as far south as Mexico. To view them, look in the direction of the closest pole (the northern horizon in the northern hemisphere, the southern horizon in the southern hemisphere). Can I see them at any time of the year? Yes. In some areas, such as Alaska or Greenland, they may be visible most nights of the year. And they occur at any time of the day, but we can’t see them with the naked eye unless it’s dark. What causes the colors and patterns? Colors and patterns are from the types of ions or atoms being energized as they collide with the atmosphere and are affected by lines of magnetic force.

Displays may take many forms, including rippling curtains, pulsating globs, traveling pulses, or steady glows. Altitude affects the colors. Blue violet/reds occur below 60 miles (100 km), with bright green strongest between 60-150 miles (100-240 km). Above 150 miles (240 km) ruby reds appear. Fun Facts about northern lights: According to Neil Bone (The aurora: sun-earth interactions, 1996), the term aurora borealis--northern dawn--is jointly credited to have first been used by Pierre Gassendi (1592-1655) and Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), who both witnessed a light display on Sept. 12, 1621. However, Bone also includes a description of the northern lights made 1,000 years prior by Gregory of Tours (538-594.) It included the phrase, "... so bright that you might have thought that day was about to dawn." Auroras have been observed since ancient times.

The height of the displays can occur up to 1000 km (620 miles), although most are between 80-120 km. Auroras tend to be more frequent and spectacular during high solar sunspot activity, which cycles over approximately eleven years. Some displays are particularly spectacular and widespread and have been highlighted in news accounts. Examples include auroral storms of August-September, 1859, Feb 11, 1958, (lights 1250 miles wide circled the Arctic from Oregon to New Hampshire) and March 13, 1989, (the whole sky turned a vivid red and the aurora was seen in Europe and North America as far south as Cuba). Legends abound in northern cultures to explain the northern lights. Some North American Inuit call the aurora aqsarniit (“football players”) and say the spirits of the dead are playing football with the head of a walrus. Often legends warn children that the lights might come down and snatch them away. June 1896, Norwegian Kristian Birkeland, the “father of modern auroral science,” suggested the theory that electrons from sunspots triggered auroras.

Yellowknife (Northwest Territories, Canada) is the capital for aurora tourism. The earliest known account of northern lights appears to be from a Babylonian clay tablet from observations made by the official astronomers of King Nebuchadnezzar II, 568/567 BC. Some people claim to hear noises associated with the northern lights, but documenting this phenomenon has been difficult. Related Web Sites Aurora borealis by Pål Brekke - This is an article on the aurora borealis by Pål Brekke published in Scandinavian Review, Fall 2008, v. 93. Auroras: Paintings in the Sky - Lots of links, pictures, includes specific information for teachers. Cosmicopia: an abundance of cosmic rays - Information on Space Weather from NASA, including an animation of a coronal mass ejection's impact on the Earth's magnetosphere. NOAA POES Auroral Activity - Technical information and data collected from POES (Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite) on its most recent polar pass. May help predict where to see auroras. Solar Storms - This site presents information about the human impacts of solar storms and space weather.

Space Weather Research Explorer: Auroras - With data from POES, this Exploratorium site packages the information in a simpler format. Further Reading Aurora Borealis in Iceland Northern Lights Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis in Iceland, Land of the Sagas The Northern Lights, also called Aurora Borealis, and Norðurljós in Icelandic, are one of the most spectacular shows on this earth and can frequently be seen in Iceland from September through March on clear and crisp nights. The Northern Lights occur high above the surface of the earth where the atmosphere has become extremely thin, at an altitude of 100-250 km. They are created by electrically charged particles that make the thin air shine, not unlike a fluorescent light. Auroras can be seen in auroral belts that form 20-25 degrees around the geomagnetic poles, both the north and the south.

The name Northern Lights was first chronicled in the original Old Norse, as “norðrljós”, in 1230; while the name Aurora Borealis (“Dawn of the North”) is jointly credited to have first been used by Galileo Galilei and Petrus Gassendus in the 17th century. Derived from Aurora, the Roman goddess of Dawn, and Boreas, the Greek god of the North Wind, the name evokes some of the majestic, otherworldly splendour of an auroral display. Solar wind and auroras What causes this spectacular phenomenon, so characteristic of our northern skies here in Iceland? Well, it's electricity that does it - and of course it all goes back to the Sun. Simply put, the auroras are caused by the interaction of the solar wind and its embedded magnetic field with the Earth´s magnetosphere. The solar wind´s stream of highly charged particles (protons and electrons) escaping the sun, interacts with our planet’s magnetic field and atmosphere. The particles are trapped in the Earth's magnetic field and they begin to spiral back and forth along the magnetic lines of force - circle around the magnetic pole.

While rushing around endlessly in their magnetic trap, some particles escape into the Earth's atmosphere. They begin to hit molecules in the atmosphere and these series of tiny collisions cause the molecules to glow, thus creating the auroras. Colours of the Northern Lights As all of these magnetic and electrical forces react with one another in constantly changing combinations, these shifts and flows can be seen as the auroras gracefully “dance” alongside the atmospheric currents. White and green are usually the dominant colours but sometimes there are considerable colour variations, as the pressure and composition of the atmosphere varies at different altitudes. At extremely high altitudes where the pressure is low, there tends to be a reddish glow produced by oxygen molecules when they are struck by the particles of the solar wind. At lower altitudes, where there is higher pressure, impact-irritated oxygen molecules may glow with a greenish tinge and sometimes there is a reddish lower border created by particles colliding with nitrogen molecules in the immediate vicinity. The phenomenon is easily explained by modern science. What our ancestors may have thought when they gazed into the brightly-lit winter sky is quite another matter. At all events, don't let any scientific explanation spoil your appreciation of the beauty of the Northern Lights.

They are a truly impressive spectacle, whatever their cause. Aurora Borealis forecasts for Iceland can be found on the Icelandic Met Office website. Additionally, the Auroral Activity map shows how the NOAA agency estimates the current aurora levels. Iceland is on centre right, just above the red circle marked 60, and remember that the Earth rotates. Nature Northern Lights: Why does Aurora Borealis light up Scots skies? Northern Lights: Why does Aurora Borealis light up Scots skies? Sean Batty The spectacular light show was visible across Scotland on Sunday. Northern Lights: Sky above Caithness. © SWNS Group by Maciej Winiarczyk Scots were dazzled by a spectacular display of the Northern Lights on Sunday evening. The aurora borealis was seen across the country, and many social media users shared their pictures of the light show. The Aurora Borealis was visible as skies cleared, painting the night sky green, purple and blue. It is usually only seen in the far north of Scotland. But what causes the Northern Lights and why does it occasionally show itself in such remarkable fashion? STV Weatherman Sean Batty has the answer. Aurora Borealis: Dazzling light show.

SWNS Group What is the Northern Lights? "The sun gives out a constant solar wind, which moves away from the sun at around 200mph, but sometimes huge flares will accelerate this wind to over 500mph and release energy equivalent to many millions of volcanic eruptions," Sean explains. "If the flare from the sun is directed towards earth these fast moving charged particles smash into our magnetic field , which is our protective shield from all the harmful radiation in space. "Most of these electrically charged particles are deflected by the magnetic field but some are drawn into the polar regions and make it into the upper atmosphere, this is where the magic happens. "Flares increase the concentration in particles over the poles and as they start to collide with the oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere they can emit enough light for the eye to detect, giving us beautiful auroral displays. The way the aurora works is very similar to how we get light from a neon sign. The tubes are filled with gas which glows once it is ‘excited’ by electrical charge." Scottish skies: Unusually high visibility. SWNS Group What makes it so spectacular?

Sean says: "The aurora, the northern lights or as they are sometimes referred to in Scotland, the merry dancers, lit up the night sky last night after the solar wind picked up creating a geomagnetic storm around earth." "The colour of the aurora depends upon how fast the electrons are moving, or how much energy they have at the time of their collisions. High energy electrons will make oxygen particles give off a green light, which is the most common colour of the aurora. "Low energy electrons will give off a red colour, and if the electrons come into contact with nitrogen then a blue light is given off. All the colours can mix to give purples, pinks, and whites." Northern Lights: Spectacular pictures SWNS Group Will it continue? "Last night’s display was rather unexpected, but came from an accelerated solar wind. "Aurora levels are measured against a 9 point scale called the Kp-index. Last night was a level 7, which is a strong storm and means it’s possible to see the northern lights are far south as southern England and central Germany. "Tonight is forecast to drop back to a level 3 which means aurora may only be visible tonight across Shetland.

If levels do go higher than predicted, the best place to be would be the north east of Scotland where skies will remain clearest, cloud and rain is expected in the west." <img src="" /> By continuing you agree to our Terms of Use , including our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy . Any issues contact us . Upload Profile Picture Close Please make sure your image is under 2mb in size and a valid JPG, PNG or GIF. Select file Are you sure? Close Unfortunately, you'll be unable to access our premium content. We’ll be sorry to see you go, but if you change your mind you can rejoin us at any time. Cancel Please verify your STV account Close Please verify your STV account using the email we sent you. If you have lost the email, we can send you another one, just click the button below. Thanks We've sent you a new verification email. Please check your email and follow the instructions to verify your account. Close This field is required. That doesn't look like a valid e-mail format, please check. Location Please tick this box to confirm that you are a resident of the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. This field is required.

Parental Consent Please tick this box to confirm that you have received consent from a parent or guardian in order to complete this form and submit your vote. This field is required. That's you. All that's left is to click the 'Submit Vote' button below. By doing so, you confirm that you and your parent or guardian have read and accept our Voting Terms of Use , Privacy Policy and Cookie policy , and that the details you have entered are correct. We'll look after them as carefully as if they were our own. Northern Lights Wallpaper Aurora Borealis Wallpaper Northern Lights Info on the App Store Open iTunes to buy and download apps. Description More than 40 Northern Lights Wallpaper Aurora Borealis Wallpaper. Northern Lights is also known as the Aurora Borealis. This is the most amazing images for your phone screen! Contains best selection of Northern Lights Wallpaper Aurora Borealis Wallpaper. Check out this northern lights backgrounds aurora borealis backgrounds and have stunning wallpaper on your phone display every day! Watch nature's own theater unfold above you as the most spectacular light show takes center stage. Download now. Is FREE!

+ More than 40 Northern Lights Wallpaper Aurora Borealis Wallpaper with vivid colors + More than 30 Northern Lights Aurora Borealis Jigsaw Puzzles Games to play to your delight + View background as Slide show option + Able to save to Photo Library of your phone or tablet + Share to your friends via Facebook,email, whatsapp, Line, Skype + Supports both portrait and landscape orientation. You'll delight in every moment of the view. Beautify your phone screen, tablet screen with the best Northern Lights Wallpaper Aurora Borealis Wallpaper photos. Nice backgrounds for your home screen. Bring you enjoyment any time you use it! Northern Lights.The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres. They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora australis' in the south.. Auroral displays appear in many colors although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported.

The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow. This app contains Aurora Borealis Northern Lights Forecast and Useful Information: + Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis Explained + When and where to find the northern lights + Northern Lights Trip What To Take + Photography Tips: Snapping The Northern Lights + 6 Best Places To See The Northern Lights In Winter 2015-2016 + A Beginning Photographer’s Guide to Photographing The Northern Lights + Northern Lights Videos The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy: Aurora : Observing and Recording Nature's Spectacular Light Show by Neil Bone (2007, Paperback) | eBay Textbooks, Education Share The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy: Aurora : Observing and Recording Nature's Spectacular Light Show by Neil Bone (2007, Paperback) Sold by shoppingmadeeasy2 See details for delivery est. Sold by rockymtntext See details for delivery est.

All listings for this product Any Condition Synopsis Synopsis For the majority of amateur astronomers, who live at the latitudes of North America, the British Isles and Australia, the aurora is a relatively infrequent visitor to the night sky. Major displays visible to the southern United States or the south of England occur perhaps 20 times in each 11-year sunspot cycle. When they occur, such auroral storms are a source of great interest and excitement. A number of books highlighting the impact of auroral/geomagnetic storms on communications and satellite technology have appeared in recent years. None, however, has addressed the observational angle. This new book addresses a gap in the literature, offering an explanation of the aurora's causes, how the occurrence of major events may now be predicted, and how amateur observers can go about recording displays.,This new book addresses a gap in the literature, offering an explanation of the aurora's causes, how the occurrence of major events may now be predicted, and how amateur observers can go about recording displays. This is the first serious book about aurora written for practical but non-professional observers. It provides a concise accessible description of the various auroral forms and how to record them, illustrated with color images of recent displays.

It contains details of 'Space Weather'forecasting websites, how to interpret and use the information given on these, and how to anticipate auroral activity. Product Identifiers The Patrick Moore Practical Astronomy Format Table Of Content Table Of Content Introduction.- Atmospheric Phenomena.- Causes of the Aurora.- Auroral Forecasting.-Observing the Aurora.- Historical Aurorae and more Recent Events.- Aurora Elsewhere.- Scientific Investigations.- Noctilucent Clouds.- Bibliography.- Glossary.- Index. Reviews Reviews From the reviews: "It?'s a common misconception that the aurora can only be seen from very high latitudes. ? In all, this is a highly readable account that?'s profusely illustrated throughout and boasts a selective bibliography, a list of web sources and a glossary of technical terms. It?'s a must for everyone eager to watch for aurora when the next solar peak comes around." (David Gavine, BBC Sky at Night, November, 2007) "The solar wind and its interaction with the Earth?'s magnetic field is a key to understanding how auroral activity arises. This is well illustrated by clear diagrams, tables and excellent photographs of the auroral oval. ?

This book can be thoroughly recommended to anyone who observes the aurora or has ever been intrigued and curious about the northern lights." (Ken Kennedy, Astronomy Now, December, 2007),From the reviews:"It's a common misconception that the aurora can only be seen from very high latitudes. âŠ In all, this is a highly readable account that's profusely illustrated throughout and boasts a selective bibliography, a list of web sources and a glossary of technical terms. It's a must for everyone eager to watch for aurora when the next solar peak comes around." (David Gavine, BBC Sky at Night, November, 2007)"The solar wind and its interaction with the Earth's magnetic field is a key to understanding how auroral activity arises. This is well illustrated by clear diagrams, tables and excellent photographs of the auroral oval.

âŠ This book can be thoroughly recommended to anyone who observes the aurora or has ever been intrigued and curious about the northern lights." (Ken Kennedy, Astronomy Now, December, 2007)"While it might seem odd to us who live in northern climes and often experience the aurora borealis on a nighty basis, some people travel thousand of miles with the hope of seeing these beautiful and colorful celestial lights. âŠ for those keen to discover the science behind the aurora, Bone's book is a must." (Paul Deans, Sky & Telescope, February, 2008)"The aurora borealis and the aurora australis are striking if mystifying spectacles in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, respectively. âŠ They are complex phenomena but their intricacies and causes are well described in this new book. Author Bone avoids mathematics but has filled his book with lovely color photographs of aurorae, north and south. âŠ Suitable for undergraduate and graduate students and an occasional high school student as well. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals." (A. R. Upgren, CHOICE, Vol.

45 (5), January, 2008)"This small book presents in greater depth a very readable account of the origins of the aurora with a concise explanation of the solar physics that drives sunspot activity and the related geomagnetic activity at the Earth. âŠ I recommend anyone who is curious about the origins of the aurora to dip into this monograph âŠ . In addition, amateur astronomers should enjoy the chapter about aurora on other planets âŠ ." (John I. B. Wilson, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 50 (4), July-August, 2009) Best Selling in Textbooks, Education Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. The Sound of the Aurora • Damn Interesting The Sound of the Aurora Article #296 • written by Richard Solensky Herein lie the first Damn Interesting words of our most recent writer, Richard Solensky. Aurora over Bear Lake, Alaska If you happen to be reasonably close to one of the Earth’s magnetic poles, the next time there’s a particularly intense aurora, go outside. Get as far as you can from sources of noise – traffic, barking dogs, TVs – and listen. Listen carefully.

If conditions are right, you may hear some unusual noises. Earwitnesses have said the sound is like radio static, a small animal rustling through dry grass and leaves, or the crinkling of a cellophane wrapper. Inuit folklore says it’s the sound of the spirits of the dead, either playing a game or trying to communicate with the living. It’s the sound of the aurora itself. And the cause is currently unknown. Understanding the phenomenon is made more difficult by the fact that though there are many anecdotal reports, the sound has yet to be recorded. → Aurora displays are caused by the solar wind interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. Because these interactions happen at altitudes of at least sixty kilometers, the sounds heard cannot be made by the aurora directly. Even if the air up there were dense enough to support sound waves, they would disperse and fade long before they reached the ground. The sounds aren’t common, and there doesn’t seem to be any consistency in their occurrences. What’s more, one observer of an aurora may hear the sounds distinctly, while another observer of the same display— even at the same location— may not.

The inconsistency makes it difficult to determine the underlying cause of the sounds. As with any faint phenomenon that is difficult to observe and study, theories abound. One hypothesis claims it’s all in the observer’s head. Modern media has made us used to hearing sound along with visual display, so we sometimes believe we are hearing things even when there is no actual sound. But this doesn’t account for those Inuit legends that predate the technological era, nor does it account for observations made by blindfolded or indoor observers. Another theory also claims it’s all in your head, but for a different reason. Electrophonic hearing is the direct stimulation of the auditory nerves by external electromagnetic fields. There are reports of people hearing “clicks” and “pops” coincident with lightning flashes, and well ahead of any thunder, that can only be explained this way. The theory is unable to explain why only the sense of hearing is affected – though there are rare reports of people noting odd smells accompanying an aurora display. The sounds could also be due to what is known as brush discharge. According to this theory, the ionization effects that produce the aurora are technically reaching ground level, but the intensity at low altitudes is not strong enough to produce a visible display.

This causes a buildup of static electricity on nearby objects, which intermittently discharges into the atmosphere. In effect, this produces microscopic bolts of lightning. If this theory is correct, the sound the observer is hearing is the result of thousands of these tiny sparks. The effect would be strongest on long, thin, dry objects such as grass or frizzy hair, which are best at bleeding off excess charge. Of all the hypotheses, the most likely suspect, since it can be duplicated in the lab, is electrophonic transduction. Certain very low frequency radio waves have the same frequency as sound waves. Long, thin conductors – grass, hair, wire eyeglass frames – serve as antennae for these radio waves. When these antennae receive the signal, they vibrate and transform the radio energy directly into sound. VLF radio waves have been detected in aurora displays, and have been found to be produced by meteors as well. It is worth noting that sounds similar to those associated with aurora have been heard in conjunction with meteors, and even recorded. Electrophonic transduction is similar to the cases where dental work turns people’s mouths into radio receivers.

That phenomenon is believed to be the result of fillings or braces acting as a crude crystal radio, which can pick up AM signals when close to a strong source. A person’s body acts as the antenna, and the combination of saliva and metal fillings can behave like a diode to “rectify”- or demodulate – a strong AM signal. A loose filling or bridgework can act as a small speaker, and the sound is carried to the ear through bone conduction. Rusty pipes have also been heard to function as radio receivers in this fashion. Electrophonic transduction is different from this phenomenon in that it does not involve rectifying or demodulation. But there’s still no firm consensus as to whether the sounds of the aurora are the product of very low frequency radio waves, electromagnetic stimulation, or over-active imaginations. So the next time there’s a nice display in your area, go outside. Get as far away from everything else as you can. Look up, and listen. You might just hear something inexplicable. And the Northern Lights in the crystal nights came forth with a mystic gleam.

They danced and they danced the devil-dance over the naked snow; And soft they rolled like a tide upshoaled with a ceaseless ebb and flow. They rippled green with a wondrous sheen, they fluttered out like a fan; They spread with a blaze of rose-pink rays never yet seen of man. They writhed like a brood of angry snakes, hissing and sulphur pale…—Robert W. Service, “The Ballad of the Northern Lights” written by Richard Solensky, copyright © 16 November 2007. Last updated 05 December 2012. Richard Currently working for his county government as an "office assistant", Richard has a Master's degree in astronomy and is a long-time member of a medieval re-creation society. Edited by Alan Bellows. You can always link to our content, but if you wish to repurpose this copyrighted text , you must obtain permission .

Question: What is the common game given to the spectacular light show the Aurora Borealis?
Answer: The NORTHERN Lights.