We
usually associate
blowing winds with
bad weather, but on
a cosmic
level, solar winds are the creators of
some of the most spectacular sights nature has to offer.
Solar winds are streams of charged
particles that ___1___ from the upper atmosphere of a
star. When these particles
bounce into the Earth's
atmosphere, they transfer
their energy to
the atoms around them. ___2___, these atmospheric atoms
release their energy. This spectacle can be seen near
the North or South Poles
in the form of ___3___ light displays that
will put
any man-made lights to
shame.
When this phenomenon occurs in the Northern
hemisphere, it is called aurora borealis or more ___4___,
the Northern Lights. The name comes from Aurora, the
Roman goddess of dawn and Boreas, the Greek name for the
north wind. In the mythologies of different cultures,
auroras are ___5___ the anger of the gods or ancestors
playing games. In Latvian folklore, auroras were
believed to be the spirits of dead warriors who come to
warn people ___6___ impending natural disasters.
Auroras are usually only seen in the polar
regions, but the most significant aurora ___7___ in
recorded history in 1859 could be seen as far south as
Japan and the USA. The New York Times apparently
reported, "Ordinary print could be read by the light (of
the aurora)."
If you feel lucky, a visit to the North Pole
during March, April, September, or October might just
reward you
with
nature's magnificent light show.