Northern Lights News Winter 2006

By night, crisp winter skies are nature's perfect backdrop for dancing northen lights!

The Lights of the Aurora

The dancing ribbons of colored light are named after the Roman goddess of dawn. An added bonus to visiting Alaska in winter is the opportunity to see the northern lights (aurora borealis). For years, many thought the spectacular light show was produced by sunlight reflected from polar snow and ice, or refracted light such as a rainbow.

Scientists have since discovered that auroras are caused by radiation emitted as light from atoms in the upper atmosphere. The kind of atom determines the color. It also appears that the sun has an influence. Auroras become brighter, more distinctive, and are spread over a larger area two days after intense solar activity, which is the time it takes for “solar wind” to reach the earth’s atmosphere.

Auroras are at their most dazzling on clear, crisp nights from September to March. Undulating ribbons may shimmer in the sky for hours like glowing, dancing curtains of green, yellow, orange or dark red. Or, they may be magnificent veils of colors.

They can twist and turn in patterns called "rayed bands,” then whirl into a giant green corona with streamers flaring in all directions. Whatever their from, auroras are a gift of the heavens to mortals below. To learn more explore www.Anchorage.net/aurora