"Unusual Phenomena: Firefoxes and Whale Spouts Illuminate Earth's Atmosphere"

The Northern lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, are a stunning natural phenomenon caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with Earth's ionosphere and being deflected towards the poles by the magnetosphere. The molecules in our atmosphere absorb this energy and release it in various colors, creating the vibrant displays of green, red, blue, and purple lights. The shapes of the Aurora reveal the protective magnetic field that shields Earth from harmful elements, while also aiding navigation. While the Aurora is a beautiful spectacle, space weather, including solar storms, can have disruptive effects on satellites and infrastructure. To monitor and provide information on space weather, ESA's Space Weather Service Network continues to study the Sun, and in 2030, ESA will launch the Vigil mission to monitor the Sun from a unique vantage point.