Aurora Guide: How the Northern Lights Work (Infographic)

The auroras of Earth are some of the most spectacular skywatching experiences on the planet and never fail to delight observers lucky enough to see them. Also known as the northern and southern lights, Earth’s auroras are caused by interactions of solar particles in the planet’s upper atmosphere.

The northern lights are more formally known as auroras, and are caused by interactions between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field.