Auroras, also known as the northern and southern lights, are natural light displays that are commonly seen in the night sky, particularly in polar regions. They occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the earth's atmosphere, causing the gases to glow in colorful lights. Auroras are typically observed between 40-400 miles above the earth's surface and encircle the polar regions. The best time to see them is during the fall and winter months in northern latitudes like Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia and Russia where there is less light pollution. Some of the most spectacular auroras in historical records occurred in 1859 and were visible as far south as China and New England.

1. Aurora Lights Gabriela Arellano Mrs. Reed Physical Science Period 5 Spring 2010 http:// uscw.canada.travel/northernlights?s_kwcid =TC|8522|aurora%20lights||S||5293021629