Maciej Winiarczuk was quite surprised when he managed to successfully capture the light show he’s been trying to film for the past three years. An Aurora Borealis lapse of the Milky Way occurred and it is absolutely stunning!
Better known as the Northern Lights, named after the Roman Goddess of dawn, Aurora, as well as Boreas, the Roman God of the wind. For ages, this occurrence has fascinated humankind. Where does it stem from?
Starting with our own star, the sun, solar wind is the primary cause. The sun ejects particles of plasma which usually bypass our planet as the earth’s magnetic filed deflects them. This however pulls the plasma to the poles. Particles like Nitrogen, Oxygen and Hydrogen collide with these solar winds, causing these marveling colorful appearances throughout the sky.
Depending on what you seek, they occur year round, but April-August possess the longest days throughout the year, making them less visible. Most frequent during Autumn and Spring, September and March are usually their peak season. Winter can also be a great opportunity – the nights are longer and darker, this makes the colors really pop against a satin sky. Bare in mind, you are never guaranteed a show. The weather dictates this.
Thank you to The Rain Forest Site for this magnificent footage.