24 Amazing Auroras: Aurora Borealis & Aurora Australis

February 17th, 2011 Permalink

We’ve collected 24 stunning auroras; either Auroras Borealis – the northern lights – or Aurora Australis – the southern lights. We love these pics!
[24 Photos]

Aurora Australis Over South Pole Telescope

Aurora Australis blankets the sky overhead of the 10-meter South Pole Telescope at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica. Like its more familiar counterpart, the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, the Aurora Australis is caused by the solar wind passing through the upper atmosphere. But the Aurora Australis is much less frequently observed because so few people live in Antarctica during the austral winter. Photo #1 by Keith Vanderlinde, National Science Foundation

Aurora - Solstice Lunar Eclipse 2010

Aurora during Solstice Lunar Eclipse 2010. Photo #2 by Francis Anderson



Aurora - Northern lights in Lapland

Aurora – Northern lights in Lapland, Finaland. Photo #3 by Visit Finland

Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis – Northern Lights. Photo #4 by Gunnar Þór Gunnarsson

Green Moonlight - Aurora Borealis

Green Moonlight – Aurora Borealis. Photo #5 by Oli Haukur

Tuktoyaktuk Aurora January 24, 2011

Tuktoyaktuk Aurora January 24, 2011. Photo #6 by Francis Anderson

Colorful Aurora Borealis in Finland

Colorful Aurora Borealis in Finland. Photo #7 by Visit Finland

Aurora Borealis

Aurora Borealis. Photo #8 by Odd :)

Moon-shimmering waterfall and Aurora Borealis

Moon-shimmering waterfall and Aurora Borealis. Photo #9 by Arnar Valdimarsson

This is the Aurora Australis, which dances through the sky virtually all the time during the long Antarctic night over Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The photo’s surreal appearance makes the station look like a futuristic Mars Station. Photo #10 by Chris Danals, National Science Foundation

Aurora - The Struggle

Aurora – The Struggle. This photographer noted, “I just liked how the aurora seemed to stop a the edge of the milky way at this location, as if the edge of the galaxy is playing referee to a battle in the sky.” Photo #11 by Carl Jones

Aurora Borealis as seen from 11,000m (36,000 feet) above Canada

Aurora Borealis as seen from 11,000m (36,000 feet) above Canada. Photo #12 by Yevgeny Pashnin

Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, shines above Bear Lake

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska — The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, shines above Bear Lake. Photo #13 by United States Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Strang

Aurora Borealis - a windy night beneath the northern lights

Aurora Borealis – a windy night beneath the northern lights. Photo #15 by James Clear

Aurora Borealis – Norðurljós. Photo #16 by Ómar Runólfsson

Aurorae borealis seen from Siilinjärvi, Finland

Aurora Borealis as seen from seen from Siilinjärvi, Finland. Photo #17 by Janne

aurora australis - South Pole Telescope

The Milky Way and aurora australis color the night sky above the 10-meter South Pole Telescope and the Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization (BICEP) telescope both collect data about the origins of the universe. Photo #20 by Keith Vanderlinde, National Science Foundation

Aurora Australis panorama appearing in the night sky at Swifts Creek, 100km north of Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Australia

Aurora Australis panorama appearing in the night sky at Swifts Creek, 100km north of Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Australia. Photo #21 by Fir0002 under GFDL license

Aurora Australis photographed from the Space Shuttle

Aurora Australis Observed From the International Space Station. Photo #22 by NASA

Aurora Australis Observed From the International Space Station

Aurora Australis Observed From the International Space Station. Photo #23 by ISS Expedition 23 crew

Aurora australis captured by NASA’s IMAGE satellite and overlaid onto NASA’s satellite-based Blue Marble image. Photo #24 by NASA



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