The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are caused by electrically charged particles that are released by the Sun and travel 150 million kilometers across space to the Earth. When these particles reach Earths magnetic field, they are deflected towards the poles of Earth and interact with our atmosphere, depositing energy and causing the atmosphere to fluoresce. The bright colors of the Northern Lights are dictated by the chemical composition of Earths atmosphere. Oxygen gives off green and red light, while nitrogen glows blue and purple.

Solar storms on the surface of the Sun cause disturbances that pull on Earths magnetic field, creating cosmic waves that launch electrons at high speeds into Earths atmosphere where they create the aurora. During a solar storm called a coronal mass ejection, the Sun burps out a huge bubble of electrified gas that can travel through space at high speeds. When a solar storm comes toward us, some of the energy and small particles can travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles into Earths atmosphere.

In summary, the Northern Lights are caused by electrically charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earths magnetic field and atmosphere.