2007-2008 Science Fair

Project Title "How Does An Aurora Borealis Work?"

Hypothesis: Could auroras be caused from cold weather?

Answer: No

How an Aurora Borealis works is when highly charged electrons comes from the solar wind, and it interacts with the air surrounding the Earth, when it reaches the Earth they follow the magnetic force coming from the Earth's core and flow through the magnetosphere. The color of the Aurora depends on which atom is affected and the level where it came together. All of the elements shift around causing what some might say the "Auroras are Dancing". The Auroras occur along the "auroral ovals" which are centered on the magnetic poles (not the geographic poles).
Green - oxygen, up to 150 miles in altitude
Red - oxygen, above 150 miles in altitude
Blue - nitrogen, up to 60 miles in altitude
Purple/Violet - nitrogen, above 60 miles in altitude

Where can Auroras be seen?
Auroras can be seen in many places such as the North Pole, South Pole, Alaska, and different areas in the U.S, but one of the coolest places they can be found is in SPACE!

What is an Aurora Borealis?
Aurora borealises also known as auroras are strong electricity in air with gases. When the two mixes it makes an aurora borealis. Other than that they are beautiful light shows in the night sky.

Conclusion: I found out that an aurora borealis is really caused by the sun’s solar winds interacting with the earth’s magnetic areas.

My research comes from http://www.nasa.gov/, http://www.howstuffworks.com/, Auroras Light shows in the Night Sky by Donna Walsh Shepherd, and World Book Encyclopedia.