The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) occur when charged particles from the Sun interact with Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere. Solar activity blasts the Sun with streams of charged particles (mostly electrons and protons). When these particles reach Earth, the planet’s magnetic field guides them toward higher latitudes near the magnetic poles. There, they collide with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, exciting them. As these excited atoms return to their ground states, they emit light, which we see as colorful curtains and arches in the sky. The specific colors come from different atmospheric gases and the energy of the collisions (e.g., oxygen can glow green or red, while nitrogen can produce purples and pinks). Geomagnetic storms, often driven by coronal mass ejections from the Sun, can intensify and expand auroral displays, making them visible at lower latitudes than usual.