what causes the northern lights?

356 viewsOtherPlanetary Science

what causes the northern lights?

In: Planetary Science

3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

When small particles moving very fast and hit atoms in the atmosphere, they impart a lot of energy to those atoms. Afterward, those atoms shed that excess energy as light.

They happen near the poles because the particles hitting the earth are electrically charged and are pushed toward the poles by the Earth’s magnetic field.

You are viewing 1 out of 3 answers, click here to view all answers.