The Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis
The Northern Lights have always fascinated mankind and have been the inspiration for artists and scientists for ages.
The first person to use the term “Aurora Borealis” was Galileo Galilei in the 17th century.
The Northern Lights are the result of charged particles (electrons and protons) descending along magnetic field lines that have their footpoints in the northern and southern hemispheres.
Understanding how the solar wind affects the Earth’s magnetic field and how the aurora borealis occurs is important in order to provide better warning of solar flares. Better warning, in turn, makes it easier to protect both satellites orbiting the Earth and installations on the ground.
On several occasions, solar storms have knocked out both power grids and communication links for shorter and longer periods. A large sunspot and powerful explosions on the sun produce northern lights all over Norway.
Relevant links:
Space Weather Prediction Center
Aurora Service
Aurora Forecast – University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)
