A Guide to Understanding the Magic of Northern Lights: Colors, Formation, and Safety Measures for Stargazers

The northern lights are a breathtaking sight to behold, and for many people, it’s a dream come true. Each display is unique and has its own blend of colors that light up the darkness.

What makes the northern lights so special is how they come to life. Charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s atmosphere, creating a spectacular array of colors in the sky. The most common color for the aurora is green, which appears when charged particles meet oxygen molecules up to 150 miles above the Earth’s surface. But red hues are also created by oxygen, but in the highest part of the atmosphere, more than 150 miles above the Earth. Purple and blue colors are related to nitrogen, with purple lights appearing higher than 60 miles above the ground, while blue hues glow below this threshold. During intense outbursts of the northern lights, onlookers may be lucky enough to see three or four colors at the same time.

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