Today’s header gif comes thanks to the National Park Service, a federal bureau with a social media presence that absolutely slays. I can hardly improve on their description, which I leave below.
Ah, the aurora borealis, or as some like to call it, ‘the fancy multicolored sky thing,’ is like the night sky is having a magical dance party and doesn’t care who’s watching. Also, steamed hams. Just because. Have we painted a perfect picture for you? Stick with us. Against the backdrop of the icy glaciers and snow-capped mountains of Glacier Bay in Alaska, the aurora borealis seems to come alive, painting the sky with ribbons of light that twist and turn in mesmerizing patterns that add to the otherworldly atmosphere of this remote wilderness.
The aurora borealis is caused by the interaction between charged particles from the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field. Solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles released from the sun’s atmosphere, collides with the Earth’s magnetic field. This interaction causes the particles to move towards the Earth’s poles, where they collide with gas particles in the atmosphere. These collisions release energy in the form of light, creating the beautiful and colorful light displays.
It’s important to note that viewing the aurora borealis is dependent on clear skies and minimal light pollution, so it’s best to plan your visit to Glacier Bay National Park during a period of low cloud cover and away from city lights for the best chance of witnessing this spectacular natural phenomenon.
NPS Video: @glacierbaynps
The aurora borealis is beautiful. In fact Alaska is really beautiful. But it is also cold. I do not like the cold. So I will look at the beauty on the interwebs. Living in AZ means a lot of crazy people and dangerous creatures but we are going to have a high of 85 today so suck it cold places. Thanks Martini.