Summary
Auroras form when charged particles from the Sun are guided by Earth magnetic field and excite atoms high in the atmosphere. Colors reveal which gases glow at which altitudes.
Watching green waves in the sky feels like the atmosphere is breathing. That light is the interaction between Earth and particles from space.
The solar wind streams charged particles outward. Earth magnetic field guides them toward the poles, where collisions occur high above.
Those collisions excite gases like oxygen and nitrogen, which emit light when relaxing. Color variations reflect different gases and altitudes.
An aurora is a visible report of space weather. It also reminds us how essential our magnetic shield is.
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