On March 6, 1716, crowds of people gathered in the streets of England to gaze up at the sky in marvel of the vibrant streams of light that danced across the night sky – an unexplained phenomenon at the time (Fara 1996). This was the first time English astronomer Edmund Halley witnessed this display. This experience led him to publish the first detailed description of what is now commonly known as the “aurora” (P. Brekke and Broms 2013; Bone 2007) (include pic of his drawings). The theories that he proposed led to the birth of modern science and to a certain extent shaped our current understanding of the nature of aurorae, how they form, and whether or not they occur on other planets.
What is an Aurora?
“No pencil can draw it, no colors can …show more content…
Several legends were passed down from generation to generation, each with their unique explanations for these celestial lights. In the ancient world, most people believed that the aurora represented the spirits of the deceased or those in the afterlife (Baskin and Fehr 1998). For example, the indigenous people of Greenland believed that these lights represented the spirits of children who died at birth. People from Labrador in the Canadian North thought that the lights came from lanterns held by spirits who were helping the souls of the recently deceased find their way to the afterlife. Although many people believed that the aurora was a sign of hope or happiness in the afterlife, this was not the only explanation. People who lived closer to the equator observed the aurorae to be blood red in color, and associated them with battle and slaughter. In certain parts of Europe, the aurorae were considered an omen of upcoming war, natural disaster or plague. Other cultures believed it was a message from the Creator displaying His anger, and this struck fear in the hearts of many (Baskin and Fehr …show more content…
Jupiter, for example, has aurorae that are a hundred times more energetic than those seen on Earth and are almost always active. In fact, Randy Gladstone from the Southwest Research Institute in Texas described them as “Northern Lights on steroids” (NASA Headline News, 2007). The charged particles that generate Jupiter’s aurorae can come from the Sun, but the Sun is not the only supply. Jupiter has a more ample source closer by, its volcanic moon named
What is an Aurora?
“No pencil can draw it, no colors can …show more content…
Several legends were passed down from generation to generation, each with their unique explanations for these celestial lights. In the ancient world, most people believed that the aurora represented the spirits of the deceased or those in the afterlife (Baskin and Fehr 1998). For example, the indigenous people of Greenland believed that these lights represented the spirits of children who died at birth. People from Labrador in the Canadian North thought that the lights came from lanterns held by spirits who were helping the souls of the recently deceased find their way to the afterlife. Although many people believed that the aurora was a sign of hope or happiness in the afterlife, this was not the only explanation. People who lived closer to the equator observed the aurorae to be blood red in color, and associated them with battle and slaughter. In certain parts of Europe, the aurorae were considered an omen of upcoming war, natural disaster or plague. Other cultures believed it was a message from the Creator displaying His anger, and this struck fear in the hearts of many (Baskin and Fehr …show more content…
Jupiter, for example, has aurorae that are a hundred times more energetic than those seen on Earth and are almost always active. In fact, Randy Gladstone from the Southwest Research Institute in Texas described them as “Northern Lights on steroids” (NASA Headline News, 2007). The charged particles that generate Jupiter’s aurorae can come from the Sun, but the Sun is not the only supply. Jupiter has a more ample source closer by, its volcanic moon named