The northern lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, are a magnificent site that mesmerizes all those who see it. There have been many myths behind it, but in reality it is a scientific phenomena. They are formed when electrically charged particles known as solar winds enter the atmosphere of earth.
They are frequently visible from places such as Alaska, Iceland, northern Scandinavia and Yukon. It can however also be seen from southern tip of Greenland and various other places in northern Canada such as Nunavut. The color of the lights also varies.
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Northern lights are seen in the north during winters as that is the time when the sky is the darkest and when the sky is absolutely clear. The best time to see it is between December and April. Ideally your trip should coincide with the new moon.
These particles originate from the brightly glowing star, the sun and travel in all directions. In case the earth is in the path of the particle stream, they enter the earth’s atmosphere and collide with the atoms and molecules and due to this collision the atoms and molecules become excited. This creates two rings of aurora emissions in the southern and northern poles called aurora ovals.
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When these gases return to their original state they emit some amount of energy which is in form of photon of light, leading to the northern lights. The colour of the northern light depends upon the type of gas.
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