Science and technology news from Hopkinton Independent School

Monday, February 18, 2008

The Aurora

The Aurora (the northern Lights) are a thing that have been capturing the human mind for ages. Stories of lights the shine threw the night with colors like peices of broken glass have been told for many years all around the world. But what is the aurora? the Aurora is a show of lights that appear in the northen parts of the earth. What happens is atmospheric gasses have a collision and cause a shower of electrons and protons. When these particils hit the earths magnetic field they produce different lights and alas the Aurora is born. And to think this is all happining 115 miles above our heads.Wow!

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=2088

4 comments:

Marek Bennett said...

Hooray for our atmosphere, protecting us and turning those deadly rays into something so beautiful!

I remember the night of September 9th, 2005 -- I was up in Maine at a wedding, and we were up late at a bonfire on the beach. After everyone else went to bed, we looked up and the WHOLE SKY was lit up like I'd never seen before. The colored sheets were flashing and streaking across the width of the sky, as fast as you could move your hand. It took my breath away.

Zak A. said...

Ziggy your article was very interesting and The part of the particle shower was very convincing. It made me feel like I was actually there up in the sky

Aiden O'Brien said...

Can they get through the earths magnetic field?

MARCOU said...

Ziggy i think that was good but i would like to know how they turn those different colors when they are in the sky. but besides that it was very good. O and the word WOW is the coolest word ever!!!!!!!!!