The mechanics of the northern lights are still not fully understood, as there are multiple influences and atmospheric conditions that create these photogenic ripples of colored light in the sky. Scientists agree that solar winds—big pulses of energy from our sun—interfere with the Earth’s magnetic fields, especially at the polar regions. The result is a ghostly light show in the sky—like the one in our photo today, captured in Norway.
When science looks like magic
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Okavango Delta, Botswana
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National Park Week: Olympic National Park, Washington
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A legend and a legendary home
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It’s National Walk to Work Day
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A leafy seadragon in the waters off Wool Bay, Australia
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A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
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Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
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Happy anniversary to the National Park Service!
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In the Himalayas for International Mountain Day
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Grand finish of Le Tour
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Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii
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Southern lights for Antarctica Day
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Into the woods
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Queen Elizabeth s Platinum Jubilee
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Feel the spray in Monterey
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Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
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Lucian Blaga National Theater, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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It’s Draw a Bird Day
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Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France
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Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy
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Tiny fliers head south
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World Philosophy Day
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Snow on the temple
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47 years of Badlands National Park
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Desert bighorn sheep in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
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The most Instagrammable bird?
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Darwin Day
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Steyr River, Austria
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Greater flamingos, Lüderitz, Namibia
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The fishing village of Reine, Norway
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

