A Shimmering Display

Derived from the name of the Roman goddess of dawn, the aurora is a natural light display in the Earth's sky, which is caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in our atmosphere.

These spectacular displays can range from a faint glow to beautifully vibrant hues that light up the sky.

The two forms of aurora are called Aurora Borealis, visible in the northern hemisphere around the magnetic North Pole, and Aurora Australis, located in the southern hemisphere around the magnetic South Pole.

The colors produced can vary, and depend on the type of gas particles that are colliding.

The most common auroral color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above Earth.

Meanwhile, all-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to 200 miles, and blue or purplish-red auroras are the result of nitrogen..