What causes the Northern and Southern Lights?

The Northern (aurora borealis) and Southern Lights (aurora australis) are caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with gases in Earth’s atmosphere. These particles are funnelled toward the polar regions by Earth’s magnetic field. As they interact with oxygen and nitrogen at different altitudes, energy is released in the form of vibrant light displays. The colours depend on the type of gas involved, with green and red produced by oxygen and blue or purple by nitrogen.