X

The Northern Lights are on fire again (pictures)

Viewing is unpredictable, but if you get a chance to watch this extraordinary light show in person, you will treasure the experience.

Charles Cooper
Charles Cooper was an executive editor at CNET News. He has covered technology and business for more than 25 years, working at CBSNews.com, the Associated Press, Computer & Software News, Computer Shopper, PC Week, and ZDNet.
Charles Cooper
bor9.jpg
1 of 11 Getty Images

The sky spectacle

2013 is shaping up to be a memorable time to view the sky spectacle known as the Northern Lights. The lights are the result of electrically charged particles from the sun bouncing into each other as they enter Earth's atmosphere. Also known as the Aurora Borealis in northern latitudes, or the Aurora Australis (or the southern lights), depending upon the pull of the Earth's magnetic field.
nasalights.png
2 of 11 NASA

'Truly amazing'

The Northern Lights photographed from the International Space Station. Astronaut Mike Hopkins, aboard the ISS, shared this picture on October 9, 2013, saying, "The pic doesn't do the Northern Lights justice. Covered the whole sky. Truly amazing!" To paraphrase the immortal Smokey Robinson, we second that emotion.
auraus.png
3 of 11 NASA

Aurora australis

Aurora australis over Tasmania, photographed from the International Space Station.
bor1.jpg
4 of 11 Getty Images

Northern lights oval

The Northern Lights occur in a circular band around the geomagnetic north pole, otherwise known as the Northern Lights oval. It is a result of the atmosphere shielding the Earth against solar particles which would otherwise make the planet uninhabitable. On their way down toward the geomagnetic poles, the solar particles are stopped by Earth's atmosphere, which acts as an effective shield against these deadly particles. When the solar particles are stopped by the atmosphere, they collide with the atmospheric gases present, and the collision energy between the solar particle and the gas molecule is emitted as a photon -- a light particle. And when you have many such collisions, you have an aurora -- lights that may seem to move across the sky.

In this image, the Aurora Borealis glows in the sky in the Greenland town of Kangerlussuaq.

bor2.jpg
5 of 11 Getty Images

Glowing over Greenland

The Aurora Borealis glows over a lake near the Greenland town of Kangerlussuaq.
bor3.jpg
6 of 11 Getty Images

Northern lights in Tallinn

This picture shows the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, seen in Tallinn.
bor4.jpg
7 of 11 Getty Images

Illuminating the Alaskan pipeline

A full moon helps illuminate the Alaskan pipeline under the faint glow of the Aurora Borealis near Milne Point, Alaska.
bor8.jpg
8 of 11 Getty Images

Norway's Northern Lights

The Aurora Borealis is pictured near the city of Tromsoe, northern Norway.
bor5.jpg
9 of 11 Getty Images

Aurora borealis in Sweden

The Aurora Borealis brightens up the sky at twilight between the towns of Are and Ostersund, Sweden.
bor7.jpg
10 of 11 Getty Images

Swedish Lapland's Northern Lights

The Northern Lights in Abisko, Swedish Lapland.
bor10.jpg
11 of 11 Getty Images

In awe

Swedes watch a display of Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights, in the city of Ostby.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos