OuiSi Nature card 178: Northern Lights. Photograph by Kiliii Yüyan The whole photograph behind card 178: Northern Lights. Photograph by Kiliii Yüyan

OuiSi Nature · Card 178

Northern Lights

Aurora borealis

Location
Vik, Iceland
Date
October 1, 2015
Photograph byKiliii Yüyan

Description

The aurora 'sings' when you hear it under the right conditions. It forms when electrons and protons stream down along Earth's magnetic field and strike oxygen and nitrogen high in the atmosphere, which give off the energy as light. The usual green glow comes from oxygen about 100 km up. The crackling some hear on calm, cold nights may come from electrical discharges about 70 metres above the ground, a Finnish researcher has proposed.

Kiliii Yüyan

The photographer

Kiliii Yüyan

NatGeo photographer, Arctic+Indigenous stories, Nanai+Chinese descent

Learn more about Kiliii Yüyan

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OuiSi Nature card 178: Northern Lights. Photograph by Kiliii Yüyan The whole photograph behind card 178: Northern Lights. Photograph by Kiliii Yüyan

Northern Lights

Photograph by Kiliii Yüyan