They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora australis' in the south.. Auroral displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported. The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow.
The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. Variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding.
The most common auroral color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above the earth. Rare, all-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora. The connection between the Northern Lights and sunspot activity has been suspected since about Thanks to research conducted since the 's, we now know that electrons and protons from the sun are blown towards the earth on the 'solar wind'.
During other times of the year, Cunard also offers special Northern Lights cruises in Norway. Arctic Bath Hotel and Spa in Sweden promises to be the best place to witness the northern lights. Set in a remote part of northern Sweden, the property promises to be the ultimate place to catch the northern lights. Depending on the time of year, the six overwater cabins float on the Lule River or are frozen into it.
There are also six cabins on land. All of the rooms have luxuries like wood-burning stoves and skylights for optimal viewing. Take northern lights photography lessons with an expert, explore the surrounding untouched wilderness or just relax in the spa, which is built around a plunge pool that is open to the aurora borealis-streaked skies. Natural Habitat Adventures is introducing its very first Arctic expedition exclusively for women. Days are spent snowshoeing, igloo-building and dog sledding, while evenings will be spent in search of the northern lights.
Head to the new North Pole Igloos Hotel , a pop-up glamping concept in the northernmost place on earth. Travelers stay in heated glass-enclosed igloos with a glass ceiling roof and glass walls that allow guests to view the northern lights from bed. The tour company Hidden Iceland has launched new family-friendly private trips. You can also watch the northern lights from a cozy teepee at Aurora Village , an Aboriginal-owned experience that also offers custom-made, heated outdoor seats that swivel degrees to catch every angle of the aurora borealis.
For luxury in the wilderness, take a bush plane to Blachford Lake Lodge , a fly-in eco-lodge with viewing from a hot tub under the stars and more.
One of the most unique ways to view the northern lights? In the air. With Canada's Aurora you can see the northern lights at eye level. Longer term forecasts based on the day solar cycle can be useful, but as with long term weather forecasts, they can change. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for alerts when strong aurora are predicted. The sun is essentially a huge ball of self-luminous plasma which rotates every 27 days or so and surrounding the sun is a million-degree-hot atmosphere called corona.
Fast moving solar wind flows from these coronal holes, consisting of a stream of charged particles, which typically take days to reach the earth — though this can be much faster following powerful solar flares or coronal mass ejections CME.
This is where the reaction of the particles and gases happen — atoms and molecules of oxygen and nitrogen get excited and release the light we know as the northern lights. Indeed, the event occurs simultaneously in the southern hemisphere causing the southern lights aurora australis to appear with one mirroring the other.
At the start and end of the cycle there are fewer sunspots, which is known as Solar Minimum , while in the middle of the cycle, known as Solar Maximum , the number of sunspots are at their most , finally returning to Solar Minimum to complete the cycle. The Solar Cycle helps scientists to predict the likelihood of aurora activity, with solar flares and coronal mass ejections also increasing during the cycle. Solar maximum is generally regarded as the better time for viewing the northern lights as there is more activity.
However, during the calmer period of solar minimum, corona holes can be long-lived. In other words, the sun is always emitting solar wind so auroras continue to be visible throughout the entire year cycle solar cycle.
Our advice is not to get too focused on which part of cycle we are in as there are too many other variables including weather and cloud cover. The Kp-index measures magnetic disturbances caused by solar wind ranging from 0 low activity to 9 intense storms underway.
For instance, looking at both the Kp-index and weather forecast may help planning your evening activities over your break. Even a Kp index of 2 or 3 can produce beautiful auroras, but it gets exciting at 4 and above! The colour of the aurora depends on which chemicals are present and the altitude of the meeting of atoms and particles. Displays can vary in intensity — from a glowing curtain of greenish yellow lights, dancing in the distance to a spectacular, multi-coloured fusion stretching across the sky.
Most people lucky enough to see the aurora witness a display of green lights but if you are really lucky then that display might be yellow and red, or even multi-coloured. The aurora is at its most active around the equinoxes in March and September. The Northern Lights most commonly appear between and To see the Northern lights, the sky needs to be dark and clear of any clouds.
Some people claim the aurora comes out when temperatures are colder. Read our full guide on what causes the Northern Lights. Being in the right place at the right time helps i. But there are forecasts available. The forecast corresponds to the planetary magnetic index on a scale of one to nine, with one being very low activity and nine very high.
The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska has an excellent website , which allows you to view predicted activity in all auroral regions. You can also sign up for Northern Lights forecast email alerts that tell you when activity rises above four to five on the Kp scale. Yes and no. The Solar Cycle refers to the number of sunspots present on the surface of the sun. This cycle lasts somewhere between years.
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