.賴亦德-婆娑極光 (Whirling Aurora)

當太陽風掃出的帶電粒子接近地球，地球磁場會迫使部分帶電粒子集中到南北極進入高層大氣，與高層大氣中的氣體碰撞激發出光芒而產生極光。絕大多數的極光色調來自氧原子被電子撞擊時激發出的綠色光芒，有時出現的藍色或紅色（或兩者混合的紫色）色調則是氮原子被電子撞擊時激發出來的色彩。由於2013年正值太陽活動的極大期，該年三月中出現的極光也在夜空中以弧狀、簾幕狀、甚至是自天頂磅礡展開的極光冕婆娑起舞。

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Whensolar winds release electrons near the earth, the magnetic fields will in return pull the electrons into the earth’s high latitude regions Arctic and the Antarctic.  Aurorae are caused by the charged particles interacting with the upper atmosphere.  The most common green aurora is caused by the collision between oxygen atoms and electrons. Sometimes there are blue or red (or purple from both combined) aurorae produced by the collision of nitrogen atoms and electrons. In 2013 the solar activity reached its highest level. In March that year the aurora took on the form of curtain like arcs and even appeared overhead as a corona of rays, displaying a magnificent whirl like dance in the night sky.

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