Auroras are caused by solar wind and charged particles colliding with Earth’s atmosphere, creating colorful light displays. Both the Northern Lights and Southern Lights can be seen in certain locations during the intense phase of the solar cycle, with the best viewing time in the Southern Hemisphere being from March to September.
Auroras occur when the Sun produces a coronal mass ejection, which is a massive explosion of solar wind and electrically charged particles in space. When these particles enter Earth’s atmosphere near its two magnetic poles and collide with gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, those gases emit colored light. Most people are familiar with the northern lights (Aurora Borealis), but even residents of the southern hemisphere can witness impressive light shows in the form of nearly identical southern lights (Aurora Australis).
When the solar winds blow:
The spectacular displays of the Northern Lights can be best seen from the southernmost areas of Tasmania and New Zealand, as well as Antarctica.
“Auroras are most frequent and brightest during the intense phase of the solar cycle, when coronal mass ejections increase the intensity of the solar wind,” explains Margaret Sonnemann, author of The Aurora Chaser’s Handbook.
The best time to see the Northern Lights is during the fall and winter months in the Southern Hemisphere (March to September).
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