Watch the Aurora Borealis (video)

By Erin La Rosa, ecorazzi

I have yet to see an aurora borealis (or northern lights) for myself, which is why I am so glad that clever people out there make videos when they do occur.

This natural phenomenon lights up the sky in the northern latitudes’ polar region, creating massive solar flares that essentially look like waves of bright and beautiful colors. The aurora borealis most regularly occurs around the equinoxes, and happen when increased solar activity sends charged particles toward Earth.

As detailed in National Geographic, “Auroras are created when such charged particles flow along Earth’s magnetic field lines. The particles hit the atmosphere at the Poles and excite air molecules, which release the extra energy as light.”

This year’s aurora borealis was particularly radiant due to the fact that the sun has had its most intense solar activity in four years.

As a result, some truly amazing footage and photography has emerged, all capturing this phenomenon for us to enjoy. We’ve included one of our favorite vids of this year’s aurora borealis in Norway below, check it out!

(Via Huffington Post)

The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Plus, check out this cool time-lapse video taken on a flight from San Francisco to Paris:

SF to Paris in Two Minutes from Beep Show on Vimeo.

Read more: Do Good, Nature, Nature & Wildlife, Videos, Videos, aurora borealis

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Kachina C.

8:57PM PDT on Apr 26, 2012

nice camera shots and cool timelaps

send a green star

Kamryn M.

6:58PM PDT on Apr 26, 2012

preeeeeeettty.

tiffany t.

6:30PM PDT on Apr 26, 2012

I spent the month of march traveling all over Alaska; the Aurora is breathtaking, people venture outside -30 whooping and howling, making the sky dance in delight. Magical

Ruth R.

3:50PM PDT on Apr 26, 2012

Some people having fun with this -- this year.

Jane G.

7:18AM PST on Jan 31, 2012

Make you want to go there and see it for yourself that is! Beautiful....

7:17AM PST on Jan 31, 2012

Certainly does!

Donna H.

4:28PM PST on Jan 30, 2012

Absolutely breathtaking!

Jennifer E.

12:48PM PST on Jan 29, 2012

How awesome! I would so LOVE (have wanted to since a little girl and read about it in a book) to see the Aurora Borealis or the Aurora Australis in real life, but failing that, this video takes you there! It is like natures fireworks display. Gorgeous! Lucky people who live there and see it whenever it happens! Does it make the wildlife unsettled, I wonder? Do wolves howl at it or anything? And how frequently does it occur?

Thanks for your comment, Sheila. I wondered if it was at natural speed or not. It must be exqusite inreal life!

Lenora S.

2:30AM PST on Jan 29, 2012

Great video thanks for posting,shame about the yukky background music though.

Tim C.

3:12PM PDT on May 10, 2011

ty.