© Nicky Mack

Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Latitude: 57° 43' 4'' N

Longitude: 3° 18' 3'' W

31 December 2015 0100 (Local Time)
Camera direction: towards N

Image P/S code: S.14.3

Image I.D.: 5716

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  Aurora borealis

  The aurora is a visible manifestation of electrically charged solar particles channelled by the Earth's magnetic field acting on the rarefied gases of the higher atmosphere.

  The colour of the aurora is dependent on the particular atmospheric gas that emits the light, the electrical state of the gas and the energy of the solar particles. The brightest and most common auroral light, as seen here, is white with a greenish or greenish-yellow tinge and is emitted by atomic oxygen at around 100 km above the ground.

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  © Nicky Mack
  Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  Latitude: 57° 43' 4'' N
  Longitude: 3° 18' 3'' W
  31 December 2015 0100 (Local Time)
  
  
  Camera direction: towards N
  Image P/S code: S.14.3
  Image I.D.: 5716
• 

  Polar aurora

  The aurora is a visible manifestation of electrically charged solar particles channelled by the Earth's magnetic field acting on the rarefied gases of the higher atmosphere.

  Aurorae are most frequently observed in arcs around the magnetic poles – the “auroral ovals”. However, coronal mass ejections or solar flares from the Sun may temporarily enhance the solar wind reaching the Earth. During such events, the auroral oval temporarily enlarges, allowing aurorae to be seen from lower latitudes.

  In the northern hemisphere, the aurora is known as the “aurora borealis”, or “northern lights”. In the southern hemisphere, it is called the “aurora australis”, or “southern lights”. This photograph from Iceland shows the aurora borealis.

  The colour of the aurora is dependent on the particular atmospheric gas that emits the light, the electrical state of the gas and the energy of the solar particles. The brightest and most common auroral light is white with a greenish or greenish-yellow tinge and is emitted by atomic oxygen at around 100 000 m above the ground. At an altitude of about 150 000 m, single oxygen atoms produce a diffuse red glow. Pinkish light on the lower fringes of arcs and bands comes from atomic nitrogen as low as about 60 000 m. Molecular nitrogen emits bluish-purple light at the highest levels.

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  © Tim Bow
  Borgarnes, Iceland
  Latitude: 64° 33' 37'' N
  Longitude: 21° 53' 53'' W
  30 December 2016 2300 (Local Time)
  
  
  Image P/S code: P.14.3
  Image I.D.: 5720