What is an aurora?

An aurora is best defined as a natural light display in the sky, commonly seen in polar regions. This phenomenon occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere, primarily oxygen and nitrogen. These interactions emit light, creating beautiful shimmering displays of color, often seen in the polar regions near the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. The most well-known auroras are the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) and the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights).

The phenomenon is intricately linked to solar activity, but it specifically represents the visual manifestation of these interactions within Earth's atmosphere rather than being a direct solar phenomenon or related to meteor showers or constellations. This makes the definition of an aurora particularly distinct and relevant to atmospheric science and space weather.