The Northern Lights: A Fusion of Science, Myth, and Magic
What comes to mind when you have the chance to see the Northern Lights? Do you picture a celestial butterfly gently fluttering its wings, or a wizard’s wand sweeping across the sky? The Aurora Borealis, as they’re also known, are a mesmerizing natural phenomenon of vibrant, dancing lights often observed in high-latitude regions. Scientifically, these lights result from interactions between the Earth’s magnetic field and charged particles from the sun. When these solar particles collide with the Earth’s upper atmosphere, they are guided by the magnetic field toward the polar regions, where they interact with atmospheric gases, creating the stunning light displays we see. Their colors, ranging from greens to reds, are determined by the types of gases involved, with oxygen and nitrogen being the primary contributors. This solar activity follows an approximately 11-year cycle. At the height of this cycle, known as the solar maximum, the sun emits larger amounts of charged particles, increasing the intensity and frequency of auroral displays. The next one-and-a-half years will provide many viewing opportunities, as we are currently in the middle of a solar maximum, lasting from early 2024 to late 2025. Auroras are not unique to Earth; they can occur on other planets as well. The two essential elements needed to create an Aurora are an atmosphere and a magnetic field, which produce light shows similar to those on Earth when interacting with charged particles from the sun. Auroras have been observed in the atmospheres of gas giants such as Jupiter and Saturn, which have strong magnetic fields. However, they have also been discovered on Venus and Mars, even though these planets have much weaker magnetic fields, highlighting the diversity of this phenomenon across our solar system. The term “Aurora Borealis” was created by Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in the 1600s, inspired by the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas. But evidence of the Northern Lights and human awareness of their occurrence dates back much further, with the earliest suspected record found in a 30,000-year-old cave painting in France. The scientific explanation for the phenomenon wasn’t developed until the early 20th century, when Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland correctly described the physical properties of the Northern Lights. Still, it’s not just the scientific side of the phenomenon that has long captivated human imagination. The magnificence of the lights has inspired a multitude of myths and legends across various cultures. For those who lived in regions where the Auroras were often visible, the mysterious lights were seen as otherworldly and magical, giving rise to stories that reflected deep spiritual beliefs. In many indigenous cultures, the Auroras were thought to be the spirits of the dead trying to communicate with those still on Earth. In areas where they were seen rarely, like in Europe, people saw them as a bad omen or, on the contrary, as a sign of good fortune. The Northern Lights held a prominent place in Scandinavian folklore, initiating beautiful legends. The Vikings revered the lights, believing them to be the glowing reflections from the shields and armor of the Valkyries, the female warriors tasked with guiding fallen heroes to Valhalla – the afterlife hall ruled by the god Odin. In a Finnish legend, the auroras were attributed to the “fire fox”, a mythical creature whose fast movements across the snow sent sparks flying into the sky, creating the fascinating lights. These stories reflect the awe with which ancient peoples viewed the Auroras, seeing them as powerful and mystical forces that connected the earthly and the divine. What you see while watching the moving lights in the sky is limited only by your imagination – and that is the true magic of the Northern Lights. By: Anna Aráoz
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