By Maddie Leung, Redwood High School
I painted this watercolor after being inspired by the incredible photos Dr. Laura Peticolas showed at her seminar, "Auroras & Solar Storms". She showed the audience a variety of auroras from all over the world: breathtaking ribbons of light, diffused auras of pink and green, and colorful streaks set against an inky sky.
I could brush up on the composition of my work, but overall it was fun trying a wet-on-wet technique with the sky to achieve that streaky look of the auroras. In any case, it was fascinating to learn how this nighttime phenomenon occurred. We explored Earth's magnetic fields and auroras, including how auroras form from solar activity and where they appear. Dr. Peticolas also shared her experience with finding her passion and how that guided her education and career journey. Now, enjoy some fun aurora facts!
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| View from the International Space Station (Image Credits: NASA) |
1. Astronauts Can See Auroras From Space
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have captured incredible images of auroras from orbit. Satellites and space probes have also observed auroras on Earth and other planets like Jupiter and Saturn. From space, auroras appear as swirling bands of green, red, and purple lights over the poles. Dr. Peticolas explained that astronauts sit in the Copula Module where they have a clear view of space and are able to take pictures.
2. They Are Created By Solar Storms & Winds
The northern lights occur when charged particles from the Sun’s solar wind interact with Earth’s magnetic field, getting drawn into the poles and colliding with gases like oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen in the atmosphere. These collisions release energy as light when they cool down after being "excited", creating the aurora’s glow. The most vibrant displays happen during solar storms, when massive bursts of plasma (which are made up of electrons and protons), are chucked from the Sun and travel through space, carrying their own magnetic fields.
5. Aurora Can Be 50 - 370 Miles Up In The Sky
Auroras can occur at altitudes ranging from 50 to 370 miles above Earth’s surface. Their altitude depends on the type of charged particles from the solar wind and how they interact with different atmospheric gases, which also influences the colors seen in the auroral display. If you were to drive up to the average aurora 200 miles up in the sky, it would take you two and half hours to get there going eighty miles an hour.
3. They Look Different In Real Life
In low-light conditions, our eyes rely more on rod cells, which are good at detecting motion and shapes but not color. This means auroras may appear as faint green, gray, or whitish streaks to the naked eye. Cameras, on the other hand, have long exposure settings and can capture more vibrant colors, such as deep greens, purples, and reds. Dr. Peticolas shared a funny story about her sister not being able to see the auroras in her backyard until she took a picture of them- so don't be fooled by the dramatic pictures!
5. Auroras Occur on Other Planets
Auroras aren't exclusive to Earth; they've been observed on other planets in our solar system, such as Jupiter and Saturn. These auroras are often much more intense than those on Earth due to stronger magnetic fields and different atmospheres.
Sources
NASA. (2025, February 4). Auroras - NASA Science. NASA. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/
Dobrijevic, D., & Waldek, S. (2022, March 13). Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis): What they are and how to see them. Space.com. https://www.space.com/15139-northern-lights-auroras-earth-facts-sdcmp.html#:~:text=Auroras%20tell%20us%20many%20things,and%20how%20it%20changes%20dynamically.
10 awesome Aurora Facts. 10 awesome aurora facts - Social Media Blog - Bureau of Meteorology. (n.d.). https://media.bom.gov.au/social/blog/1114/10-awesome-aurora-facts/
Notes taken from Dr. Laura Peticolas' seminar "Auroras & Solar Storms"
Photos by NASA.gov on Commons.Wikimedia.org and may be used for educational purposes with credit
I painted this watercolor after being inspired by the incredible photos Dr. Laura Peticolas showed at her seminar, "Auroras & Solar Storms". She showed the audience a variety of auroras from all over the world: breathtaking ribbons of light, diffused auras of pink and green, and colorful streaks set against an inky sky.
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