Unique Antarctica - The Aurora Australis
The aurora australis or the southern lights are magical shows of light which are seen in the Antarctic skies during winter.
Fast moving solar winds made up of tiny electrically charge particles collide with gases in the Earth's upper atomospher. The collisions react with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen which cause light of different colours to be 'released'. The magnetic field of the earth channels these discharges towards the poles (north and south).
The auroras occur during winter on cold, clear nights. In Antarctica the best show of the Aurora Australis is between March and September because the rest of the year it is 24 hours of sunlight. The Arctic aurora or northern lights is named the aurora borealis.
Auroras get their colour depending on the type of atom struck. Oxygen at high altitudes produces red auroras and oxygen collisions at low altitudes produces a bright yellow-green colour. Nitrogen produces blue or red light with purple borders and rippled edges.
Auroras can be arcs, streamers, pillars, halos, curtains or glowing bands of colours.
Fast moving solar winds made up of tiny electrically charge particles collide with gases in the Earth's upper atomospher. The collisions react with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen which cause light of different colours to be 'released'. The magnetic field of the earth channels these discharges towards the poles (north and south).
The auroras occur during winter on cold, clear nights. In Antarctica the best show of the Aurora Australis is between March and September because the rest of the year it is 24 hours of sunlight. The Arctic aurora or northern lights is named the aurora borealis.
Auroras get their colour depending on the type of atom struck. Oxygen at high altitudes produces red auroras and oxygen collisions at low altitudes produces a bright yellow-green colour. Nitrogen produces blue or red light with purple borders and rippled edges.
Auroras can be arcs, streamers, pillars, halos, curtains or glowing bands of colours.