What is an aurora? - Michael Molina

Summary

The video script unveils the mesmerizing journey of the polar lights, or auroras, which originate from the Sun's corona. High-energy particles escape the Sun's gravity as solar wind, only to be redirected by Earth's magnetosphere. During coronal mass ejections, these particles crash into Earth's magnetic field, creating magnetic storms that propel them towards the aurora ovals. Here, they interact with atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen, emitting photons that paint the sky in a vibrant display of colors. The auroras, best viewed on clear nights near the poles, are a testament to the celestial dance between our planet and its star.

Takeaways

• 🌞 The Sun emits one million tons of matter every second at a velocity of one million miles per hour, which can collide with Earth.
• 🌌 The northern and southern lights, or aurora Borealis and Australis, are caused by high-energy solar particles colliding with Earth's atmosphere.
• 🔍 The particles' journey involves leaving the Sun, being influenced by Earth's magnetic fields, and finally reaching our atmosphere.
• 🌡️ The Sun's corona, the outermost layer of its atmosphere, is extremely hot and causes hydrogen and helium atoms to release protons and electrons.
• 🚀 These protons and electrons form plasma and travel away from the Sun as the solar wind.
• 🌐 Earth's magnetosphere shields the planet from the solar wind by deflecting particles around the Earth.
• ⚫️ Coronal mass ejections are massive bursts of plasma from the Sun that can overwhelm the magnetosphere and cause magnetic storms.
• 💥 When a magnetic storm occurs, it can fling particles towards Earth, allowing them to reach the atmosphere and create auroras.
• 🌈 The interaction of solar particles with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the atmosphere results in the emission of photons, which produce the aurora's light.
• 🟢🔴 Excited oxygen atoms emit green and red light, while excited nitrogen atoms produce blue and deep red hues in the auroras.
• 🌌 The best time to see the auroras is on clear nights near the magnetic poles, and they are not visible during the day due to sunlight's intensity.

Q & A

What is the speed at which matter is blasted from the Sun every second?

Matter is blasted from the Sun at a velocity of one million miles per hour.

What are the northern and southern lights also known as?

The northern and southern lights are also known as the aurora Borealis and aurora Australis, respectively.

How do the auroras occur?

Auroras occur when high-energy particles from the Sun collide with neutral atoms in Earth's atmosphere, emitting energy in the form of light.

What is the Sun's corona and why is it significant in the creation of the auroras?

The corona is the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere and one of the hottest regions. It is significant because it is where protons and electrons, which create the auroras, depart from.

What is plasma and how is it related to the solar wind?

Plasma is an electrically charged gas formed when free protons and electrons group together. It travels away from the Sun as the solar wind.

What is the Earth's magnetosphere and how does it interact with the solar wind?

The magnetosphere is formed by Earth's magnetic currents and shields the planet from solar winds by deflecting the particles around the Earth.

What is a coronal mass ejection and how does it affect the magnetosphere?

A coronal mass ejection is an event where the Sun shoots out a massive ball of plasma into the solar wind. When it collides with Earth, it can overpower the magnetosphere and create a magnetic storm.

What happens when the magnetosphere is overwhelmed by a coronal mass ejection?

When the magnetosphere is overwhelmed, it can snap back like an overstretched elastic band, flinging some of the detoured particles towards Earth.

Where are the aurora ovals and what is their significance?

The aurora ovals are the locations of the northern and southern lights. They are where the Sun's particles are dragged down to after the magnetosphere retracts.

How do the Sun's particles create the auroras?

The Sun's particles, electrons, and protons meet with oxygen and nitrogen atoms 20 to 200 miles above the surface. They transfer energy to these atoms, which then emit photons, creating the auroras.

What determines the colors of the auroras?

The colors of the auroras depend on the wavelength of the photons emitted by the excited oxygen and nitrogen atoms. Oxygen atoms produce green and red colors, while nitrogen atoms produce blue and deep red hues.

When and where are the polar lights best seen?

The polar lights are best seen on clear nights in regions close to the magnetic north and south poles. Nighttime is ideal because the auroras are much dimmer than sunlight and cannot be seen in daytime.

How can one predict the occurrence of auroras?

One can predict the occurrence of auroras by observing the Sun's energy patterns, specifically sunspots and solar flares, as these are good indicators of potential auroral activity.