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Asked by bowser to Alan, Caspar, Diana, Murray, Sarah on 21 Mar 2011.
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Sarah Thomas answered on 21 Mar 2011:
Here is an interesting fact, the Northern Lights can be seen as far south as France!
The northern lights are caused by the collision of charged particles directed by the Earth’s magnetic field. Which is why the closer you are to the north magnetic pole, the more likely you are to see it.
Photons are emitted in the Earth’s upper atmosphere from ionised nitrogen atoms regaining an electron, and oxygen and nitrogen atoms returning from an excited state to ground state. They are ionised or excited by the collision of solar wind particles being funneled down and accelerated along the Earth’s magnetic field lines. Excitation energy is lost by the emission of a photon of light, or by collision with another atom or molecule. Oxygen emissions are green or brownish-red and nitrogen emissions are blue or red.
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Diana Drennan answered on 21 Mar 2011:
Nitrogen & Oxygen atoms in the Earth’s upper atmosphere (~50 miles) are ionized or excited by the collision of solar wind particles being funneled down and accelerated along the Earth’s magnetic field lines. This excitation energy is lost by the emission of a photon of light as ionized nitrogen atoms regain an electron, and oxygen and nitrogen atoms return from an excited state to ground state. These emissions create beautiful displays of light that are green or brownish-red, depending on the amount of energy absorbed by oxygen, or blue if the nitrogen atom regains an electron after it has been ionized or red if the nitrogen atom is returning to ground state from an excited state.
I’ve never seen them except on TV, but I’d like to. Have you seen them ? -
Caspar Addyman answered on 21 Mar 2011:
I’m not too sure. I think it is something to do with the earth’s magnetic rays at the poles channelling charged particles into the atmosphere and then these giving off energy.
I don’t know if there are southern lights too but i expect there might be.
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