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Writer's pictureRajalakshmi Dhandapani

Know about Northern and Southern Lights

Updated: Aug 13, 2023

Have you ever wondered to see the sky full of colour lights apart from the fireworks and imagined how it will look like?...... Then this topic will definitely amuse you.


When we speak about lights, we know that there are different kinds of lights to lit our houses and natural lights (sun and moon light) as well, So what are these northern and southern lights? Are they some kind of light in north and south direction. Yes, its in northern and southern direction near the polar region. These are commonly called as Auroras or polar lights. These northern and southern lights give a fascinating appearance in the sky and they do have names, the northern light is known as Aurora Borealis and the southern light is known as Aurora Australis. See the mesmerizing auroras in the picture below.

You might be wondering, how these mesmerizing lights occur? These eye feasting colourful lights, litting the sky in the polar region is because of the interaction of energized solar particles with the earths gas molecules near the magnetic poles of the earth.


Most of these energized solar particles from solar winds are normally deflected without reaching the earth due to earths magnetic field, but still some penetrates near the poles and gives these spectacular lights.



Now you might be wondering why there are different colours of aurora when they all come from the sun? ....This is because Green or red colour aurora is formed when the energized solar particles interacts with oxygen and blue or purple colours when interacts with nitrogen. These are seen throughout the day, but you can see them clearly in night.

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I think now you got to know that there are polar lights and the reason for them to occur.


Some of you might have seen this spectacular light if you are staying in high latitude regions or some of you might have seen in movies. My personal experience with these polar light is from a movie the polar express, where the three children watch the northern light from a train when travelling to the north pole. From that day onwards, I am curious to watch these fascinating lights with my own eyes and awaiting for a chance to see them. Hope after reading this some of you may also have a desire to watch them.


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