Ask the Bureau: What is an aurora?
Once thought to be portents of doom, auroras are now known to be remarkably common phenomena, caused when electrically charged electrons and protons accelerate down the Earth’s magnetic field lines and collide with neutral atoms in the upper atmosphere—usually about 100 km above the Earth. This video explains what causes the beautiful lights of the aurora. For more information visit: www.sws.bom.gov.au/Aurora
International Space Station footage courtesy of NASA.
Additional footage courtesy of Daniel Lam Photography ( / daniellame .