A single five-second exposure captured in April 2025 showcases the aurora borealis illuminating the night sky above the Skógafoss waterfall in Iceland. The image displays a spectrum of colors, which are the result of charged particles from solar winds interacting with Earth's magnetosphere.

These particles are channeled by the planet's magnetic field toward the polar regions, where they collide with atmospheric gases. The specific hues observed in an aurora depend on the gas involved and the altitude of the interaction; for instance, oxygen typically produces red and green light, while nitrogen generates blue and pink tones.

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Witnessing the northern lights remains a challenging endeavor, requiring a combination of high solar activity, clear, dark skies, and a high-latitude location. While auroras occur at both poles, the northern lights are more frequently observed than their southern counterparts due to the greater availability of landmass in the Northern Hemisphere compared to the Antarctic region.

Source: NASA