December 24, 2013 at 2:34 pm

Picture of the Day: Aurora Borealis – Christmas Edition

by twistedsifter

 

AURORA BOREALIS – CHRISTMAS EDITION

 

Red_and_green_aurora borealis christmas edition

Photograph by Frank Olsen

 

Seen here is a rare red aurora beautifully complementing the green band of colour below. The image was taken at Hakoya island, just outside of Tromsoe, Norway on October 25th, 2011 by photographer Frank Olsen.

An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions, 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.

In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the northern lights), its southern counterpart is known as aurora australis (or the southern lights). [Source]

 

 

picture of the day button Picture of the Day: Aurora Borealis   Christmas Edition