What is the study of northern lights called?

What is the study of northern lights called?

In the early 17th century, the astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei named this phenomenon Aurora Borealis. Some of this energy is given off in the form of light emissions; called the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights in the northern hemisphere and the Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere.

What is the scientific name for Aurora?

Answer. The northern lights, one of several astronomical phenomena called polar lights (aurora polaris), are shafts or curtains of colored light visible on occasion in the night sky. Northern lights are also called by their scientific name, aurora borealis, and southern lights are called aurora australis.

What are auroras in science?

Auroras are streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky. They are also known as northern and southern lights. These natural dazzling lights appear in the Earth’s polar regions. These particles travel along the magnetic field lines toward Earth’s poles.

Is aurora borealis a scientific name?

In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the northern lights), named by Pierre Gassendi in 1621 after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas.

Who first discovered auroras?

In the early 1900’s, a Norwegian scientist named Kristian Birkeland became the first person to explain what was causing the Aurora Borealis to light up the skies over Norway and other regions near the North pole. In this lesson, learn more about him and his discovery!

What is aurora in sky?

An aurora is a colorful light show in the sky caused by the Sun. Auroras happen when particles from the Sun interact with gases in our atmosphere, causing beautiful displays of light in the sky. Auroras are often seen in areas near the North Pole or South Pole. These lights are called auroras.

What does the name aurora mean?

dawn
Aurora is a mystical and romantic name that means “dawn” in Latin. An aurora also refers to a natural light display in the Earth’s sky called the aurora polaris, or polar lights, visible only in high-latitude regions like the North and South Poles.

Why are auroras so important to human history?

From prehistoric times, humans have been fascinated by the waxing and waning of auroral lights, the closest and most dramatic manifestation of space phenomena. Spectacular auroral eruptions have given rise to mythological creatures, have driven folklore, and have influenced the course of history, religion, and art.

Who is the father of modern auroral science?

June 1896, Norwegian Kristian Birkeland, the “father of modern auroral science,” suggested the theory that electrons from sunspots triggered auroras. Yellowknife (Northwest Territories, Canada) is the capital for aurora tourism.

What’s the name of the Aurora in space?

If you’re near the North Pole, it is called an aurora borealis or northern lights. If you’re near the South Pole, it is called an aurora australis or the southern lights. This beautiful view of the aurora was taken from the International Space Station as it crossed over the southern Indian Ocean on September 17, 2011. What makes this happen?

What is the name of the aurora borealis?

Answer The northern lights, one of several astronomical phenomena called polar lights (aurora polaris), are shafts or curtains of colored light visible on occasion in the night sky. Aurora borealis – the Northern Lights. Chena Hot Springs, Alaska, 2013.