What causes the northern lights?

The northern lights , also known as the aur ora bore alis , are caused by charged particles from the sun interact ing with the Earth ' s magnetic field and atmosphere . The charged particles , primarily electrons and pro tons , are drawn towards the Earth ' s magnetic pol es and col lide with atoms and mole cules in the atmosphere , causing them to emit light . \n The sun em its a constant stream of charged particles , known as solar wind , which is carried towards the Earth by the solar wind . The Earth ' s magnetic field acts as a shield , protect ing the planet from the harm ful effects of the solar wind . However , when the solar wind is particularly active , such as during a solar f lare or cor onal mass e jection , it can break through the magnetic field and reach the Earth ' s atmosphere . \n When the charged particles reach the atmosphere , they col lide with the atoms and mole cules , causing them to emit light . The color of the northern lights depends on the energy of the particles and the alt itude at which they col lide . Green is the most common color , produced by coll isions at alt itudes of around 1 0 0 - 2 0 0 km . Red is produced by coll isions at higher alt itudes , while blue and vio let are produced by coll isions at lower alt itudes . \n So , to summar ize , the northern lights are caused by charged particles from the sun interact ing with the Earth ' s magnetic field and atmosphere , resulting in the emission of light . </s>