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Why are there different colors in the Northern Lights and why are they found mostly in cold places?
Colors of the Light
Different molecules and altitudes create distinctive colors:
- Oxygen: Green emissions occur at altitudes of about 100–150 km, the most common color of the aurora. Red emissions occur in higher layers above approximately 200 km and are less frequently visible.
- Nitrogen: Blue emissions occur at altitudes of around 80–100 km. Violet emissions appear in similar altitudes as blue light but are less intense.
The specific wavelength of the emitted light determines the characteristic colors of the Northern Lights and is inversely proportional to the energy difference. This means that the greater the energy difference (the energy of the photon), the shorter the wavelength.
Spatial Distribution of the Northern Lights
The reason why auroras appear in cold places like the poles has little to do with the temperature at the poles. Instead, light emissions are particularly intense at Earth’s magnetic poles because the magnetic field lines enter the atmosphere vertically in these regions.
This vertical entry concentrates the charged particles in these areas. Depending on solar activity, Northern Lights can also appear at lower latitudes, usually when solar activity is heightened, as indicated by the presence of more sunspots.
Stay tuned to learn more about the Sun and its secrets!
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