The Magnificent Aurora Borealis

The Magnificent Aurora Borealis.

The Aurora Borealis has always intrigued me. It's one of my life goals to travel to my ancestors homeland and view the beauty of the northern lights. If I can't go to Norway then I will probably just travel to the Northwest Territories, but a girl can dream! But for now the northern lights in Skyrim will have to do. I have always wondered... how did the Aurora Borealis get its name? What causes it and when is the best time to go see it? I asked and the internet answered! 

Here's what Wikipedia told me. Pretty much the Northern lights were named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas. Making it Aurora Borealis! Pretty nifty I must say. Also it was written on Wikipedia that the lights are "...caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere (thermosphere). The charged particles originate in the magnetosphere and solar wind and, on Earth, are directed by the Earth's magnetic field into the atmosphere". Pretty scientific, I don't think I could try and explain it as clearly. Also, I found out that the colours change depending on different emissions. Oxygen emissions produce a brown/red or green colour while nitrogen emissions make blue or red! I personally really like the blue and green lights. 

From September to April is supposed to be the best time to see the lights, but the most ideal would be the winter months like December and January, because its darker for a longer period of time. Hopefully one day I will be able to view this amazing natural wonder.

Information came from: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_%28astronomy%29 

http://www.discover-the-world.co.uk/en/northern-lights/index.html

Picture from the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aurora_vetter.jpg