Finland - Liminka

Hilkka - Finland - 28.05.2010

Aurora Borealis

Lappi Lapland

Liminka, Suomi Finland

An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere (thermosphere). The charged particles originate in the magnetosphere and solar wind and, on Earth, are directed by the Earth's magnetic field into the atmosphere. 

In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the northern lights) and in southern latitudes the aurora australis (or the southern lights).