Auroras: Nature's Light Show

Humans have watched displays of the Northern Lights in awe for centuries. Some cultures thought these colorful curtains of light arose as sparks created by the tail of an Arctic fox or from epic battles in the night sky. Sky & Telescope senior editor J. Kelly Beatty explores the fanciful explanations for these dancing lights, how powerful bursts from the sun create them, and when and where you're most likely to see an auroral display.