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. Most aurora occur in a band known as the
auroral zone,
which is typically 3° to 6° in latitudinal extent and at all local
times or longitudes.
