subject: The Best Viewing Place In Canada That Gives 360 Degrees View Of The Aurora Borealis [print this page] The specific layer in the Earth's atmosphere where the lovely phenomena called the northern lights takes place is the ionosphere in the northern latitudes. The northern lights bear the scientific name aurora borealis. The word "aurora" is Greek in origin and it's the name of the ancient Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora. Boreas, on the other hand, is the Greek god of the north wind.
The aurora borealis is very rare to find and it only appears in places close to the North and South Poles. The closer you are to the so-called auroral zone (the aurora borealis' supposedly area of coverage where frequent sightings occur), the higher the chances of catching a glimpse of this awesome light display. Places within the Arctic Circle are said to be the prime locations where you can get the best view of the northern lights, most particularly in Yellowknife, Canada or anywhere further north of the country that is within the auroral zone.
Science tells us that the Earth's atmosphere has different layers. The one of the layers in the atmosphere that is responsible for the formation of the northern lights is the magnetosphere. This atmospheric layer is full of electrical charge, as it is the sanctuary of protons, electrons, and atoms of intense magnetic energy. The creation of the aurora borealis commences when charged particles from the sun are caught by the Earth's magnetic fields.
When the charged particles come in contact with the magnetosphere their magnetic charge is increased significantly. As a consequence, atomic collisions in great magnitude and proportion create light energy or photons. These photons manifest themselves in the skies in variety of colors. The colors produced largely depend on the photons' reaction with the gases in the atmosphere.
The colors that are very common during an aurora light display are green or red. Shades of blue and violet can be seen in rare occasions. Again, as mentioned above, atmospheric gases like oxygen and nitrogen determine the color and its intensity. The higher the concentration of a particular atmospheric gas, the more distinct the color you'll see in the skies. The density of the solar particles also is a determining factor in the color intensity and duration of auroral display in the skies.
Yellowknife is where you will find a special place called the Aurora Village where the northern lights can be viewed best. Located within the auroral oval, the Aurora Village has earned the reputation of providing the spectators 360 degrees view of the aurora borealis.
