Aurora Color Gases
Learn how aurora colors work. See the chemistry and physics of the northern and southern lights and how the aurora works on other planets. Here we learn what causes the different colors in the aurora borealis (northern lights) and the aurora australis (southern lights).
Here, we look at the science behind this breathtaking spectacle, exploring the colours of the aurora and the atmospheric gases that cause them. What colour are the northern lights? Most northern lights are green. But you sometimes see a rare flash of pink.
The Northern Lights | Royal Meteorological Society
And strong displays can include shades of red, blue, purple, yellow and even white. the composition of gases in Earth's atmosphere the altitude where the aurora occurs the density of the atmosphere the level of energy involved The northern lights can be spectacular! The bright pink fringe on the lower edge of the aurora occurs when electrons strike nitrogen in the atmosphere. While green is the most common colour to see in the aurora, and red the second most common, there are also other colours.
In particular, ionised nitrogen molecules (N₂⁺, which are missing one electron and have a positive electrical charge), can emit blue and red light. Have you ever noticed the different colors in streetlights? Some are a dark yellow color while others have a blue or purplish light. How about neon signs? They have many different colors.
Aurora One of the Wonders of the World
Streetlights and neon signs are filled with gas. When they are turned on, an applied voltage energizes electrons in the gas. These electrons strike the gas molecules, which excites them to emit light.
The. The colors of the Aurora Borealis come from oxygen and nitrogen reacting in the atmosphere. Oxygen creates green and red colors, while nitrogen adds blue and red to the aurora.
Understanding aurora colors; the science behind the display | MPR News
Different altitudes show different colors, like red above 150 miles and green up to 150 miles. A shimmering white Aurora is created when all the colors of the visible spectrum mix together at lower altitudes. This effect requires a combination of oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases all colliding simultaneously.
Altitude Differences in Aurora Colors The altitude where the particle collisions occur also affects the resulting color of the Aurora. DIFFERENT COLORS The color of an aurora depends on which gas is excited by the incoming particles and where that gas is located in the atmosphere. When a particle interacts with either oxygen or nitrogen, the excess energy from the interaction results in a burst of light.
Oxygen and nitrogen can emit green, red, or blue lights. The combination of the different amounts of gases can produce. The diferent colours of the aurora are caused by the collision of charged particles, usually electrons, with diferent gases at varying altitudes in the atmosphere.
