Aurora Vocabulary

“The aurora; a luminous light that can occasionally be seen in the polar regions on a clear night.”

More Aurora Vocabulary and Aurora Facts:

• Auroras are caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases in Earth’s atmosphere, making them glow.
• In the Northern Hemisphere it’s called the aurora borealis (the Northern Lights); in the Southern Hemisphere it’s the aurora australis (the Southern Lights).
• The name comes from Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, combined with Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind.
• Different gases create different colours: oxygen produces green and red, while nitrogen produces blue and purple.
• Auroras usually occur near the polar regions because Earth’s magnetic field funnels charged particles towards the poles.

Talking About Wonder:

• Breathtaking (Adjective): Astonishing or awe-inspiring in a way that takes your breath away.
• Spectacular (Adjective): Beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way.
• Magical (Adjective): Beautiful or delightful in a way that seems enchanting.
• Mesmerizing (Adjective): So captivating that you can’t look away.
• Dazzling (Adjective): Extremely bright and impressive.
• Awe-inspiring (Adjective): Causing feelings of great respect and wonder.

Seeing the aurora for the first time is often described as an ‘out of this world‘ experience – meaning it’s amazing or extraordinary. Witnessing something this beautiful might even leave you on cloud nine!

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