Field record · upper-atmosphere
Aurora curtain
Aurora can appear as arcs, bands, rays or diffuse glows, often at high latitudes; visibility depends on space weather, darkness, cloud cover and local viewing conditions.
factscale · regionalstructure · curtain
How it forms
Energetic particles guided by Earth’s magnetic environment collide with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, producing light.
What separates it from a neighbor
Aurora is driven by Sun–magnetosphere–atmosphere interactions rather than ordinary tropospheric weather.
Representation boundary
Long exposures and camera sensors can reveal color/intensity differently from unaided vision; disclose capture method.
Evidence boundary. This page separates a sourced formation explanation from the editorial “visual character” phrase above. A single image or casual observation may not contain enough context to classify a real phenomenon confidently.
Sources used for this record
NASA Science — Aurorasgovernment science
Aurora as atmospheric glow produced by energetic particles interacting with the atmosphere.
Open source ↗