The night sky over Hanle village in Ladakh was recently illuminated by the northern lights (Aurora) due to an intense solar storm.
About Aurora:
- Auroras, also known as polar lights, are natural light displays visible mainly in the high latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic.
Types of Auroras:
- Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) – Visible in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) – Visible in the Southern Hemisphere.
Formation:
- Auroras are caused by the interaction between the Earth’s magnetic field and charged particles from the Sun (solar wind).
- When these particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they collide with gas particles like oxygen and nitrogen, resulting in light emission.
Colours and Visuals:
- Colors seen in auroras include green, red, yellow, blue, orange, and purple, depending on the type of gas and the collision energy.
- Green is produced by oxygen at about 100 km altitude, red by high-altitude oxygen around 300 km, and blue/purple by nitrogen.
- Auroras are displayed in various shapes such as spirals, curtains, and rays, often changing rapidly.
Occurrence:
- Predominantly observed near the magnetic poles in places like Alaska, Canada, Norway, and Antarctica.
Ref: Source
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