What is an aurora? - Michael Molina
- 642,076 Views
- 13,329 Questions Answered
- TEDEd Animation
Let’s Begin…
Why do we see those stunning lights in the northern- and southernmost portions of the night sky? The Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis occur when high-energy particles are flung from the Sun’s corona toward the Earth and mingle with the neutral atoms in our atmosphere -- ultimately emitting extraordinary light and color. Michael Molina explains every step of this dazzling phenomenon.
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Color: If you’ve seen the polar lights or looked at pictures you’ve noticed that they appear in a variety of colors. This has to do with the atoms that are being excited and the size of their wavelength. Find out more about the colors of the polar lights.
Wind: Science is always making breakthroughs thanks to technology and instruments we have built over the years. Wind is a solar probe that helped capture solar wind.
If you haven’t been lucky enough to see the polar lights, here is a great video shot from above Earth that shows what the lights look like from space.
Wind: Science is always making breakthroughs thanks to technology and instruments we have built over the years. Wind is a solar probe that helped capture solar wind.
If you haven’t been lucky enough to see the polar lights, here is a great video shot from above Earth that shows what the lights look like from space.

TED-Ed
Lesson Creator
New York, NY
Do you think this will be a good year to see them?
Create and share a new lesson based on this one.
More from Out Of This World
784,747 views
165,032 views
Science & Technology
How the James Webb Space Telescope will unfold the universe - John C. Mather
lesson duration 08:48
403,487 views
480,216 views