On certain nights in Japan, people may notice a faint red glow spreading low across the horizon. The dim crimson haze can be easy to overlook, but it is created by powerful activity taking place far above Earth. Streams of charged particles from the Sun travel toward our planet and interact with Earth's magnetic field. When these particles collide with oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere, the atoms release energy as soft red light, producing rare auroras visible from the ground.

3 months ago
94








English (US) ·