Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are typically active because of solar activity, specifically solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). When the Sun releases a burst of solar wind and magnetic fields into space, this solar matter can travel towards the Earth. These particles can interact with Earth’s magnetic field, causing it to change shape and energy to be transferred from the solar wind to the magnetic field.
This transferred energy can then trigger reactions in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, where they energize oxygen and nitrogen molecules. As these molecules return to their normal state, they release energy in the form of light, which we see as the auroras.
The exact timing of when auroras may occur is related to the Sun’s 11-year activity cycle. During peak times of this cycle, the Sun is constantly releasing more solar flares and CMEs, which can mean more intense and frequent aurora displays.
