Comments on: The Moon, Stars, and Aurora Borealis Over Earth http://www.neatorama.com/2007/09/16/the-moon-stars-and-aurora-borealis-over-earth/ The Neat Side of the Web Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:43:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Nicholas Dollak http://www.neatorama.com/2007/09/16/the-moon-stars-and-aurora-borealis-over-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-224417 Nicholas Dollak Sun, 16 Sep 2007 22:51:50 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/09/16/the-moon-stars-and-aurora-borealis-over-earth/#comment-224417 That speck of green IS the aurora borealis. The blue/white field below it is the Earth's atmosphere, illuminated by a few rays of sunlight. The black area below that is the Earth. Here's a link to the Wikipedia entry on polar auroras: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_%28astronomy%29 The article gives a detailed description of what they are, along with other cool photographs and a diagram. Basically, auroras form much the way that a fluorescent tube lights up: energy passes through a layer of ionized gas, causing... (This is usually where most students start tuning out. Just look at the pretty lights and marvel at the wonders of the Cosmos!) That speck of green IS the aurora borealis. The blue/white field below it is the Earth's atmosphere, illuminated by a few rays of sunlight. The black area below that is the Earth. Here's a link to the Wikipedia entry on polar auroras: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_%28astronomy%29 The article gives a detailed description of what they are, along with other cool photographs and a diagram. Basically, auroras form much the way that a fluorescent tube lights up: energy passes through a layer of ionized gas, causing... (This is usually where most students start tuning out. Just look at the pretty lights and marvel at the wonders of the Cosmos!)

]]> By: Justin http://www.neatorama.com/2007/09/16/the-moon-stars-and-aurora-borealis-over-earth/comment-page-1/#comment-224226 Justin Sun, 16 Sep 2007 18:00:29 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/09/16/the-moon-stars-and-aurora-borealis-over-earth/#comment-224226 oooooh... aaaaahhh... I don't understand aurora Borealis's much, so why is there that speck of green that seems to be floating off in space? All I know is it has something to do with the Sun and the atmosphere and ions and stuff. :) oooooh... aaaaahhh...

I don't understand aurora Borealis's much, so why is there that speck of green that seems to be floating off in space?

All I know is it has something to do with the Sun and the atmosphere and ions and stuff. :)

]]>