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Article: Aurora Borealis Explained.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Alaska Business Monthly
- Article date:
- December 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Alaska Business Publishing Company, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Sunspot activity causes the northern lights, or aurora borealis, yet it is not unique to the north. When the solar wind(a stream of particles and gas from the sun) comes in contact with the earth's magnetic field, spectacular light shows result near both magnetic poles. At the southern pole, aurora australis mirrors the northern display.
Solar flares occasionally explode from the sun's surface causing the best auroras. Other auroras result from energy release from the sun's dark holes during its normal today rotation, pausing a solar wind.
After a three-day space journey, the solar wind particles hit earth's magnetic field, painting shimmering bands, ...