The people who live in the big cities of the world enjoy the bright lights and the wonderful firework displays for special celebrations, such as New Year's Eve or Halloween. However this artificial brilliance is nothing compared to the wonderful sight of the natural phenomenon known as the Northern Lights, or the Aurora borealis, in the Northern Hemisphere of the world. Mirror-image lights are visible in the Southern Hemisphere, where they are called Aurora Australis.
'Aurora' was the Roman Goddess of Dawn, 'Boreas' is Greek for 'wind' and 'Australis' is Latin for 'of the South'. The Northern and Southern Lights occur at the magnetic fields of the polar regions and are the result of charged particles of protons and electrons, from the magnetosphere around the Earth. These particles collide with molecules and atoms from the Sun, then carried into the ionosphere on the solar winds. The emission of different gases in the particles form coloured lights - the atomic oxygen causes either a... (... more information below the photos)
Northern Lights Northern Lights dancing above an igloo on a cold winter day in northern Alaska. |
Northern Lights Show Churchill Manitoba A show of natural wonderment is displayed by the Northern Lights over the town of Churchill, Manitoba and an Inukshuk has been created on the landscape below. |
Dempster Aurora Northern lights, also known as Aurora borealis dancing in the clear night sky beside the Dempster Highway in the Yukon Territories in Canada. |
Aurora Borealis Watching The Yukon Territories of Canada are a great place for aurora borealis watching |
Aurora Borealis Lights Traveling north on the Dempster Highway is rewarding for those wanting to see the aurora borealis lights in the Yukon Canada. |
Mystery Lights This formation of the Aurora Borealis could be a trio of large white birds heading to the Yukon landscape. |
Northern Lights Alaska Words cannot do justice to the powerful display of the Northern Lights over Alaska |
Christmas Pictures a christmas setting with dancing northern lights above |
Aurora Borealis Photos A old trappers cabin in northern Alaska in winter with northern lights above the mountains. |
Picture Of Inspiration Northern Lights performing a dance of inspiration above the Dempster Highway, Yukon |
Moon Picture Northern Lights Hudson Bay Manitoba Canada A bright full moon casts beams of light over Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada while the Northern Lights stream across the sky. A beautiful scene on a clear starry night in the town of Churchill. |
Christmas Aurora Borealis Christmas setting in the snow covered wilderness of northern Alaska with dancing northern lights above. |
Aurora Borealis Canada The curtain of the Aurora Borealis cannot hide the stars in the sky looking down on the trees along the Alaska Highway. |
Aurora Borealis Locations Stock Photo of a Aurora Borealis Locations. |
Aurora Borealis Location Stock Photo of a Aurora Borealis Location |
Aurora Adventure The northern part of Canada is a great place to see the magic Northern Lights, also known as Aurora borealis - to see them is always like a big adventure. |
Inukshuk Aurora Borealis The Blue night sky and White Aurora Rays are a fitting backdrop for the Inukshuk Landmark in Alaska. |
Inspirational Pictures For centuries the northern lights have been a source of inspirational stories and myths. |
Northern Lights Viewing Churchill Manitoba Churchill, Manitoba is an excellent location for viewing the Northern Lights perform their magical display in the night sky. |
Aurora Borealis Vacations Aurora borealis dancing over snowcapped mountains on a Yukon vacation, Canada. |
Aurora Borealis Photo The lovely nuances of colour in the Mountains and the Aurora Borealis over the Yukon is a delight to the eyes. |
Aurora Borealis Images Northern Lights (Aurora borealis) in winter above a old goldrush cabin |
Northern Light Northern lights are best for viewing in fall and spring. |
Northern Light Pictures Northern Alaska is one of the best locations for Northern Light Pictures |
Winter Aurora The soft colours of the Mountains of Alaska and the Aurora Borealis is a memorable picture. |
Aurora Borealis Myth Stock Photo of Aurora Borealis Myth |
Aurora Borealis Pictures Aurora Borealis Pictures taken in Alaska |
Aurora Yukon A green aurora borealis above the Dempster Highway in Northern Yukon, Canada |
Alaska Winter Christmas Card Picture taken in Northern Alaska in Winter |
Northern Light Picture The Illumination of the Vehicles vie with the Subtle Beauty of the Northern Lights over Alaska . |
Aurora Borealis Vacation Stock Photo of a Aurora Borealis Vacation |
Northern Light Occasionally seen on Northern Vancouver Island - Northern Lights |
Dancing Aurora The dancing movements of the Aurora Borealis gives credence to the Inuit Folklore. |
Northern Lights Pictures The eerie green plume of the Northern Lights curls into the sky over the Arctic region. |
Canadian Arctic The Inukshuk Landmark and the Northern Lights are symbols of the Canadian Arctic. |
Arctic Getaway Bed And Breakfast Bed and Breakfast in remote Alaska |
Aurora Dempster Northern lights dancing above the Dempster Highway in the Yukon in northwestern Canada. |
Aurora Borealis Photography People watching the Aurora Borealis on an Alaskan night. |
Aurora Sky A Curtain of Northern Lights almost touch the Yukon Mountains. |
Northern Lights Picture The contrasting colours of the Northern Lights seen from Port McNeill at the North end of Vancouver Island BC |
Polar Lights Wisps of Delicate Northern Lights shimmer in Alaskan winter skies. |
Mysterious Lights The Mysterious Northern Lights weave around each other reaching towards the Heavens over Alaska. |
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... green/white or red light and the molecular nitrogen are purple.
The Northern and Southern Lights develop in the Auroral Ovals which are centred approximately over the magnetic North and South Poles and are 500 to 1000 kilometres wide, and when seen from space they appear to be two rings of light. The Auroras materialize when there is a great deal of sunspot activity and also at the spring and autumnal equinoxes (around March 21, and September 22). There are different shapes and type of lights, the 'arcs' and 'bands' can be active or quiet or can suddenly become brighter horizontally, the 'corona' has lights leaping out in many directions, a 'patch' can pulse or even flash, and 'veils', 'curtains' and 'rays' are other forms which make fascinating auras. European and American explorers as well as the Inuit have said the lights run close to the ground, and have heard rustling and whistling sounds from the displays, although scientists are inclined to discredit this as the Auroras are 60 to 600 kilometres above the surface of the earth.
The Inuit people call the Aurora Borealis 'Aqsarniit', which translates to 'football players' because they believe the colourful flickering skies are the spirits of the dead playing football with a walrus skull as a ball. The Vikings think the lights are reflections of dead maidens. The Scottish call them 'Merry Dancers'. Others think they are swans flying too far North, or the dead trying to contact the living.
In the Northern Hemisphere the best places to view the Aurora Borealis are within the auroral oval, such as Alaska, Yellowknife and Goose Bay in Canada, Norway, Finland and Russia, these locations can view the lights on clear nights, from fall to spring. Sometimes, if the solar winds are strong, the ovals will spread further south and the lights are visible in the skies over most of Canada, Northern United States, Europe and Asia. One of the most fascinating places to view the northern lights in Canada is along the shores of Hudson Bay in Manitoba ... polar bear country! The prairie Provinces of Canada are also excellent for viewing the Northern Lights as there are wide open spaces and very few towns meaning plenty of darkness to enjoy the spectacular sight. The hours around midnight are the most rewarding to watch Nature's Fireworks.
The people of the Southern Hemisphere are not as fortunate as their Northern counterpart, because the Southern auroral oval is over Antarctica and it is not often that Australia, New Zealand, Southern Asia and Africa are able to enjoy the wonders of the Aurora Australis.
Most of our Northern Lights pictures are taken in Alaska and the Yukon.
The best times to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis is in fall and spring. On clear nights these dancing veils of light can be seen and, if active, they can provide some great photo opportunities.
There are many tour operators offering Northern Lights watching in Manitoba, Yukon and Alaska. Our photo workshops also offer the chance to get some great Northern Lights pictures with the help from an expert.
Check out our story Aurora Borealis
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