September 2013 30
Aurora Borealis
The Northern Lights
Eamon Decker
The Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights are one of the most specatcular sights in the north. Think of a dark, starry sky. No city lights or haze. Then add magical rays of green, blue and red light dancing and swirling across the sky. That is exactly what you'll experience in the Northwest Territories. The farther north you go, the better the aurora, but even in the southern part of the territory, the dancing lights are quite visible. Yellowknife, the capital of NWT is considered one of the best places to view the Northern Lights, along with towns futher north such as Inuvik. Everyone should witness the aurora at least once; it is an experience you will never forget.
So what causes the aurora, and why can't I see it in Texas?
As the sun is creating heat and light, it shoots protons and electrons into space. Known as solar wind, these particles blow past the earth, and are drawn to the north and south magnetic poles.
In the upper atmosphere, the solar wind particles collide with gas atoms and emit light, which we can see from the ground as the aurora.