why does aurora happen?

Answer 1

The light in an aurora is caused by a charged particle hitting a gas atom or molecule in the atmosphere thus exciting an electron to higher energy states. When that excited electron returns to it ground state it emits a light of a certain color depending upon the difference in the ecited and ground state energies.

The color you see (e.g., green, red etc..) are created by different gases having different excited enrgy states and ground states. thus some colors are due to Nitrogen, and other Oxygen.

The charged particles, if they are not energetic enough can not penetrate the magnetic field, and they start to spin around it, however there is no restriction (except magnetic mirror forces) of moving in the field direction, and most particles have some velocity componet in teh field direction.

Thus, the particles will travel along teh field lines and only hit the Earths atmosphere where the field lines hit the Earth's atmosphere, which is farther north and farther south towards the poles.
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The aurora happens because of our magnetic fields. When the Sun has a solar flare, and it hits the Earth, the charged particles are escorted to the polar regions via the magnetic fields. They hit the atmosphere, and create a pretty light show. It is usually in the far north and far south, but can go to the more middle latitutes. Alaska is famous for auroras, but I have seen them in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Answer 3

Electrically charged particles from the sun called solar wind enter the earth's atmosphere and causes magnetic storms with the magnetic field that is created by earth. We see these as Auroras or Northern Lights

Answer 4

The electromagentic field shields the earth from radiation, but the field is shaped like a doughnut and the earth is shaped like a ball so radiation hits us at the northern and southern poles makeing the aurora borealis(or however u spell it) form.

Answer 5

The atoms in the solar winds have been heated and all the atoms are missing electrons thus ionized. The free electrons are the beta particles and are negative. The alpha particles are positive charged . The beta particles are attracted to the north pole. the alpha particles are attracted to the south pole. when the sun is active larger amounts of solar wind particles are attracted to the poles so u see their paths.

Answer 6

It doesn't happen...it exists due to ionization of the upper atmosphere from the particles emitted from the sun.

Answer 7

the earths magnetic filed-solar flares