Auroras: the Northern and Southern Lights
The aurora, or northern and southern lights, are often visible from the surface of the Earth at high northern or southern latitudes. Auroras typically appear as luminous bands or streamers that can extend to altitudes of 200 miles (well into the ionosphere).
Northern and Southern Lights
The following figures show three examples of the often spectacular visible light display associated with auroras.
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| Southern aurora from the Space Shuttle Endeavor (Ref) | Northern aurora over Lake Superior (Ref) | Northern aurora over Circle, Alaska (Ref) |
