06 Oct 08
Originally posted by CrowleyThat's beautiful. Unfortunately this wasn't fired in our direction, so it didn't help for the aurora. There isn't much happening; we are still deeply in the solar minimum.
Will you be seeing much more activity now?
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0810/304erupt_rt_crop1024_med.mov
08 Oct 08
Originally posted by NordlysWould it be safe to say that the northern lights are produced by electrons attracted to the earth's North pole (actually has a + charge) and the southern lights are produced by protons attracted to the earth's South pole (- charge)?
That's beautiful. Unfortunately this wasn't fired in our direction, so it didn't help for the aurora. There isn't much happening; we are still deeply in the solar minimum.
08 Oct 08
Originally posted by mlpriorDoesn't seem to be right to me...
Would it be safe to say that the northern lights are produced by electrons attracted to the earth's North pole (actually has a + charge) and the southern lights are produced by protons attracted to the earth's South pole (- charge)?
08 Oct 08
Originally posted by mlpriorI guess it would be safe to say (i.e. you probably won't be persecuted, shot or hung for it), but it isn't correct. 😉 The aurora borealis (the Northern lights) and the aurora australis (the Southern lights) are produced in the same way (and in fact they are almost mirror images of each other). I am no physicist and never got very deeply into the physics of the aurora, so I'll leave the explanations to more knowledgeable people: http://www.imv.uit.no/english/science/publicat/waynorth/wn1/contents.htm (4. and 5. are the most relevant parts in this context).
Would it be safe to say that the northern lights are produced by electrons attracted to the earth's North pole (actually has a + charge) and the southern lights are produced by protons attracted to the earth's South pole (- charge)?
14 Oct 08
Originally posted by mlpriormagnetic fields are caused by moving charge, and any moving charge whether positive or negative will create magnetic lines of force which could be viewed as north and south. so it is not correct to consider a north pole or a south pole as having a particular electric charge.
Would it be safe to say that the northern lights are produced by electrons attracted to the earth's North pole (actually has a + charge) and the southern lights are produced by protons attracted to the earth's South pole (- charge)?