JASPER NATIONAL PARK NORTHERN LIGHTS FREE

It’s oxygen, and to some degree nitrogen, that get hit by particles, and then glow as a result. Exactly the same thing is happening in Earth’s upper atmosphere during an aurora. The electrons particles hit that gas and make it glow. Particles pass through the light bulb and hit mercury vapor atoms inside, which is very efficient at giving off light. It’s called fluorescence, and it’s the same thing that happens in a fluorescent light bulb. We are seeing particles from the sun hitting the atmosphere as part of an electric circuit. The Hub: OK, what exactly is aurora borealis? Dr. He helps explain how auroras form, why this is a great time to catch a light show, and what you need to do to ensure a good view. He operates both of AU’s observatories on campus and in Athabasca County, one of which is equipped with a live sky cam-great for viewing aurora conditions in real-time. Why is that?’ It stimulates curiosity.”Īs someone who studies space weather, Connors is no stranger to aurora gazing. “I think a lot of people are fascinated by the dramatic colours, and then if you give it a little bit of thought, you start thinking, ‘The sky is on fire.

Martin Connors, a professor of space science and physics with Athabasca University’s Faculty of Science and Technology.

JASPER NATIONAL PARK NORTHERN LIGHTS FREE

“It’s a free light show in the sky,” says Dr. Not only is aurora borealis proof of the vastness of the universe, it’s pretty darn cool to watch.

That swirling fluorescence and dance of colour is actually the impact of space gasses hitting the atmosphere after travelling 148 million kilometres from the sun. There’s something magical, and definitely otherworldly, about gazing at a night sky aglow with the northern lights.

Jasper national park northern lights