Where do Auroras occur? Do they happen on other planets?

The best place to see an Aurora is in the Northern hemisphere in locations such as Skandinavia, Alaska and Canada. They may be seen throughout the US and Europe but in rare occasions.

Almost all planets have an Aurora of some sort, Jupiter and Saturn's auroras resemble alot of earth auroras.

Are the effects of the Auroras harmful?

Not to our surface. The Earths atmosphere is like a giant shield, protecting us from the suns rays and magnetic particles. Although Passengers in an aircraft flying through the Aurora may experience slight radiation, such as the exposure when getting an X-Ray. Radio waves and other electrical currents may also be disturbed during the Aurora.

This is the first X-Ray image of the Earths Aurora.

What makes the color of an Aurora?

The color of the Aurora is determined by the altitude and density of the air and the energy emitted by molecules or atoms in the sky. When the excited atom reaches a certain altitude it is strong enough to split the nitrogen and the oxygen molecules thus shooting out the photons that create the auroras signature color. The colors are usually a variation of a red or green color. They can also range from red to pink, blue to purple and dark to light. The picture in the right shows how the atoms are creating different colors determining the altitude.

What Are Auroras?

Auroras are luminous displays of color glowing in the upper most parts of the atmosphere. They are visible at night and often occurs in high altitudes. In the Northern hemisphere it is known as Aurora Borealis, and in the Southern it is called Aurora Australis.
The Aurora is a reaction of energized particles from sun rays turning into atmospheric gasses.