We woke this morning to the warming glow of Christmas lights. Then, as we opened up the curtains and said Merry Christmas all, we saw a frosty wonderland outside. Perhaps we should give thanks to the pioneers of electricity. Life would not be the same without their gifts of warmth and light.
These gifts pale into insignificance when compared to the aurora borealis, the northern lights.
Did you know these are the result of universal energy in the form of electrons colliding in the upper atmosphere? They receive their acceleration from the magnetosphere at night, when Earth’s own magnetic power is in charge.
Did Aurora Borealis Wish You Merry Christmas
The electrons transfer their restless energy to oxygen and nitrogen atoms up there quite often as this time of year. This excites them to higher energy levels than normal. Nature intervenes to restore the balance. As the oxygen and nitrogen atoms relax, they then release the energy in the form of light.
Neon lights work similarly, except in their case the electrodes ionize the gas so it releases light. Earth’s magnetic field guides the electrons to the poles. However the two ovals drift towards each other during major geomagnetic storms.
When this happens, nature rewards us with the ultimate movie show in North America and the Arctic region. We would see a similar phenomenon in high southern latitudes of Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia.
How Galileo, Aurora and Boreas Belong Together
Astronomer Galileo named this wonder aurora borealis in 1619. Because Aurora was the Greek goddess of dawn, while Boreas was the Greek word for wind.
On a good evening, it forms arcs from horizon to horizon.
At midnight, these twist and sway as if blowing in the wind, and may fill the night sky with bright light. Then in the morning, they submit to the sun rising in the east. Merry Christmas all, Earth is refreshed.
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