Planeterrellas create artificial auroras that mimic the atmospheric displays of light by setting up an electric field between two metal balls in a jar filled with a small amount of air.

The sun and Earth's liquid outer core help create the northern and southern lights

Earth's magnetosphere, generated by the movement of molten iron deep within the planet, consists of a magnetic field that deflects charged particles north and south. Some of the particles released by the sun in the solar wind become trapped in this field and are propelled toward the poles, where they produce auroras through collisions with atmospheric particles.

Interactions between solar storms and Earth's magnetic field create auroras

Solar storms on the Sun's surface produce clouds of electrically charged particles, some of which make their way to Earth. Those trapped in Earth's magnetic field accelerate toward the north and south poles, colliding with atmospheric atoms and molecules in the process, which produces light.

Except for Mercury, every planet in the solar system experiences auroras

Lacking magnetic fields, Venus and Mars exhibit auroras when the solar wind collides directly with their atmospheres, without deflection. Some particles behind the atmospheric collisions that generate auroras on gas giants come from their moons and the surrounding environments.

Auroras take place all day long, but are too faint to see during the day

Because the sun constantly emits charged particles into the solar system, Earth's magnetic field deflects them continuously, with a small subset becoming trapped and colliding with atmospheric gases. Daylight, light pollution, and weather prevent the northern and southern lights from being seen most of the time, even for those at higher latitudes.

In 2025, astronomers confirmed that Neptune has auroras, which were observed at mid-latitudes because its magnetic field is tilted 47 degrees from its rotation axis.

The best location to view auroras is within the auroral oval

Earth's magnetic field pushes trapped particles from the solar wind toward the planet's magnetic poles, where they can descend and collide with atmospheric gases in a ring located between 60 and 75 degrees of latitude. Auroras can also be viewed at lower latitudes—the sub-auroral oval and solar storm zones—if the sun produces powerful solar storms.

An exoplanet detection method involves measuring a host star's auroras

Astronomers have reported indirectly identifying a planet by observing its debris interacting with the magnetic field of the star it orbits. The interaction is a larger-scale version of the auroras observed on Jupiter, which are produced when material released by its moon, Io, interacts with the gas giant's magnetic field.

Scientists have tested atmospheric models by firing rockets into the aurora borealis

Functioning like components of a CT scan, the missiles transmit signals that can be used to identify charged particles and electromagnetic currents in slices. The slices are then combined to construct a computer-based model of Earth's atmospheric structure, which is used to compare the accuracy of physics-based models.

Aurora borealis and auroras australis do not always mirror one another

While the Earth's magnetic field is symmetric across the magnetic north and south poles in isolation, charged particles from the sun distort the field. If the angle of impact between the wave of particles and the Earth's field is such that the distortions are uneven, dissimilar geomagnetic storms and resulting auroras are produced in the northern and southern hemispheres.

Voids in the northern and southern lights are known as black auroras

Appearing as dark rings or blobs against the illuminated sky, black auroras occur when there are holes in Earth's ionosphere—the upper atmospheric layer of charged particles created by solar ultraviolet rays. In these gaps—also known as anti-auroras—electrons ascend up into space, rather than spiraling into the atmosphere to collide with atmospheric gases and produce light.

See the 25 of the best photos of auroras from around the world.

High solar activity can produce pink and purple auroras

Although less common, energetic enough charged particles from the sun that descend to an altitude of about 100 kilometers (62 miles) can strike a mixture of ionized and neutral nitrogen molecules, causing them to emit red and blue light, which our eyes perceive as purple.

The dynamo theory explains how planets generate their own magnetic fields

According to the theory, a large magnetic field generator, or dynamo, is created when liquid metal flows through the planet's outer core, producing electric currents that generate a magnetic field. Magnetization patterns in rocks on the surface of planets can serve as evidence for the presence of this internal structure at some point in the celestial object's past.

Solar activity and the density and chemical composition of the air affect auroral colors

Oxygen atoms can emit red and green light when energized by collisions with the solar wind, but red takes longer to be emitted and is disrupted by bumping into other molecules. This causes red light to appear at higher altitudes, where the air is less dense. Higher-energy solar wind can penetrate to lower altitudes and collide with more abundant ionized nitrogen, which produces blue light.

Coronal mass ejections and solar flares produce the most extensive auroras

The most intense geomagnetic storms are produced when massive clouds of plasma—ionized gas—are expelled from the sun's upper atmosphere and interact with the Earth's magnetic field. These storms expand where auroras are bright enough to be seen to regions farther from the poles, particularly during peak periods of the sun's 11-year intensity cycle.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captures enormous aurora displays on Jupiter

The auroras flicker faster and brighter than those seen on Earth. This contrasts with earlier predictions that the lights would fade slowly over several minutes, providing insights into how Jupiter's magnetosphere operates.

The movement of molten metal around Earth's inner core creates the planet's magnetic field, whose north and south poles do not align with the planet's geographic poles.

The impacts of the solar maximum on Earth, from telecommunications to auroras

During the peak of the sun's 11-year cycle, plasma emissions stronger than the average stream of particles from the sun can compress and distort the Earth's magnetic field, allowing auroras to be seen farther from the poles. Distortions in the ionized layer of Earth's atmosphere can also alter the path of communication transmissions through the air. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Scientists quantify how far from the poles auroras will be visible using the G-scale

The Geomagnetic Storm scale indicates the expected severity of the deformation of Earth's magnetic field based on the amount of energy injected by the solar wind. Solar activity is monitored using various satellites to forecast these storms, which can also be used to anticipate damage and disruption to power systems, radio communications, and satellite navigation.

Aurora-like magenta streaks across the sky may not be auroras

The phenomenon, known as STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), has only been observed alongside auroras. Rather than light emitted by gases energized by collisions with ionized particles from the sun, STEVE is a high-velocity, high-temperature stream of particles that glows. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Research shows that cosmic rays may trigger the cascade of displaced electrons needed to produce lightning, which is also enabled by pointed ice crystals that create strong electric fields.

The sun emits a continuous stream of plasma known as the solar wind

Composed of charged particles—electrons and ions—the solar wind is deflected around the Earth by the planet's magnetic field. More powerful solar storms, known as coronal mass ejections, are short-lived but produce huge clouds of plasma that disrupt technology upon reaching Earth.

By separating light with tools such as prisms, scientists can reveal the presence and composition of celestial matter by identifying color fingerprints unique to specific elements and molecules.

A basic camera setup or a phone is enough to capture stunning aurora photos

Auroras result from solar particles interacting with atmospheric elements. This article provides tips on improving the quality of aurora photos taken with simple equipment and the best times and locations to yield better photos.

Understanding why charged particles from the sun protect Earth from more dangerous particles

The solar wind engulfs the solar system in a protective bubble called the heliosphere, which was first theorized in the late 1950s based on studies of cosmic rays—high-energy particles traveling through space at near light speed. The heliosphere shields the solar system from much of this ionizing radiation originating elsewhere in the Milky Way.

Crackling, popping, and rustling sounds have been reported during auroras

At the altitudes where auroras take place—between 100 and 300 kilometers (62 to 186 miles)—air is not dense enough to efficiently vibrate and carry sound waves to the ground. However, one theory suggests that the geomagnetic energy behind auroras can trigger electrical discharges near the surface, which may be the cause of reported sounds.

The intensity of auroral activity approximately follows the sun's 11-year cycle

The density, speed, and temperature of material ejected by the sun are at their lowest at the start of each cycle, resulting in weaker interactions with Earth's magnetic field and muted, diffuse auroras. While the average solar wind speed is about 300 kilometers (186 miles) per second, the fastest winds can be more than three times faster.

Stars appear to twinkle because turbulence in the motion of molecules in Earth's atmosphere causes light to bend and wiggle rapidly on its way to the surface—a phenomenon called scintillation.

Earth's magnetic field can trap high-energy charged particles produced by the sun and distant cosmic events in doughnut-shaped rings called Van Allen belts.

Dust particles on Mars can generate lightning

Through triboelectric charging, sand and dust on the Martian surface can become electrified when they rub against one another, causing friction to displace electrons and create charged particles. If this matter forms a strong enough electric field, it can overcome atmospheric insulation and produce electrical discharges, resembling lightning on Earth.

Space weather phenomena, including solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and solar wind, are driven by the sun's magnetic field and can affect Earth's ground- and space-based technological systems.

Listen to the sounds of pulsars, which emit radio pulses up to hundreds of times a second

Just as figure skaters spin faster by tucking in their arms, these celestial objects acquire high rates of spin from the collapse of the cores of massive stars. The star's rotation spins its magnetic field, generating beams of radio waves from its magnetic poles. If either of these poles faces a detector, the signals can be picked up and converted to audio signals.

Perseverance captures an aurora on Mars

The Perseverance rover captured the first visible Martian aurora, offering insights into Mars's atmospheric interactions. A coronal mass ejection likely triggered the aurora since the planet lacks a global magnetic field.

Explore Earth's atmosphere and what its layers contain in this interactive adventure

In this interactive, users can move from Earth's surface up through its atmosphere, exploring the natural phenomena found in each layer, including atmospheric rivers, auroras, and meteor showers. Artificial structures such as weather balloons and the International Space Station can also be found on the adventure.

Understanding ball lightning remains an area of active research

Observations of glowing orbs of light that appear during or after thunderstorms have been documented since at least the 12th century, but their rarity and short lifetimes have made their study challenging. Some theories suggest they form when lightning vaporizes pockets of gases in the air or certain materials on the ground.

Lichtenberg figures capture lightning-like patterns within insulators

When high-energy electrons from particle accelerators are fired into materials like acrylic, they form a charged plane before discharging into scarred patterns within the material. By evenly charging a cylindrical bottle through rotation during the irradiation process, a 3D figure of lightning in a bottle can be created.

East Asian records of auroras may date back to 10,000 BCE

Ancient texts from Japan, Babylon, and China contain accounts of auroras dating back millennia. Because auroral activity and intensity are driven by periodic ebbs and flows in solar activity, these records allow scientists to identify patterns that may help anticipate particularly dangerous future solar storms.

Learn how to build your own cloud chamber to detect cosmic rays—particles from space that move near the speed of light—at home.

Earth is the only terrestrial planet with a magnetic field

Its magnetosphere emerges from a complex interior process of electrical conduction, heat, and motion known as the geodynamo. The magnetic field shields the Earth from unsafe cosmic radiation, providing one of the many conditions required for life.

Antimatter can be created from dark lightning—high-energy light emitted by deflected electrons after they are accelerated to near the speed of light by thunderstorms.

Explore an interactive solar system with 3D visualizations of meteor showers—streams of dust-like debris left behind from comets or asteroids that burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

Jupiter’s size forced the creation of modified planetary formation models

Since solar winds remove gases from protoplanetary disks within millions of years of a star’s birth, models needed to provide a mechanism to jump-start Jupiter’s formation and growth. The solution involved incorporating pebbles of matter into the disk.

Watch a visualization of the formation of the planets

The nebular hypothesis proposes that a swirling cloud of gas and dust coalesced into a dense center, forming a star amid nuclear fusion. Lighter elements were blown far from the star while heavier elements remained nearby, serving as primary materials for terrestrial and jovian planets, respectively.

The strongest recorded geomagnetic storm in history created auroras near the equator

On Sept. 1, 1859, the Carrington Event—named after the astronomer who observed the preceding solar flare—saw a massive coronal mass ejection strike Earth, disrupting telegraph systems, sparking electrical fires, and reportedly illuminating the night sky enough to allow newspapers to be read at night.

View a gallery of various auroral shapes

Auroras can be generally classified as discrete (well-defined shapes) or diffuse (hazy shapes), with light taking various forms, including curtains, arcs, pillars, and rays. Some auroras can also pulsate, particularly after intense periods of auroral activity are winding down.

Spikes of light around stars are artifacts of light bending around the mirror supports

Through diffraction, electromagnetic waves can bend around obstacles, as observed in the silver linings at the edges of clouds, where light should be blocked. Within reflecting telescopes, starlight diffracts around struts—beams holding a secondary mirror in place—and spreads perpendicular to them, creating pairs of spikes.

Explore a guide to photographing auroras

Using a wide aperture and increasing your camera's native ISO to a value between 3200 and 8000, depending on atmospheric conditions, will help capture as much light as possible while freezing the movement of the auroras. The camera should also be kept as still as possible and in environments with minimal weather impediments, such as clouds.

Listen to samples of 'sounds' produced in the sun's interior, created from the sonification of internal vibrations detected by the Parker Solar Probe.

Explore a gallery of astronomical images curated by the European Space Agency, which includes illustrations and images of aurorae, planets, stars, galaxies, stellar nurseries, exoplanets, and black holes.

The scientific name for northern lights came from two Greco-Roman gods

Although cave paintings may have depicted them millennia earlier, one of the oldest known references to auroras is a Babylonian cuneiform tablet from about 600 BCE. In 1619, Galileo Galilei named the phenomenon in the northern hemisphere "aurora borealis" after the Roman goddess of dawn—Aurora—and the Greek god of the north wind—Boreas.