THE OTHERWORLDLY AURORA borealis, or northern lights, begin high in the Earth's atmosphere—at altitudes from 60 to more than 250 miles—when charged particles from the sun become trapped in the Earth's magnetic field. The result is a colorful, dancing light show.
THE OTHER WORLDY AURORA borealis, or northern lights, begin high in the Earth's atmosphere—at altitudes from 60 to more than 250 miles—when charged particles from the sun become trapped in the Earth's magnetic field. The result is a colorful, dancing light show.
The first time I filmed an aurora was from an icebreaker near Antarctica. Luckily, there are much more accessible place if you'd like to take in these light show yourself. For the best seats to this celestial scene, conside anywhere with a magnetic latitude above 55° and low pollution. Find your magnetic latitude on NOAA and here
In the polar latitudes, auroras can appear on any dark nights. Long winter nights are good but not necessarily the best time. Near equinoxes in March and September, the Earth's magnetic field lets more solar particles interact with the atmosphere, creating aurora seasons! I suggest autumnal equinox in September, when there are pleasant tempreatures in solar latitudes. Find the dark hours of your location here, or by using a sky guide app.