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Jun 20, 2023 · Auroras, also known as the aurora borealis (northern lights) and aurora australis (southern lights), have inspired countless myths and legends across the globe as well as numerous misconceptions.
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What are the Northern Lights?
When are the northern lights visible?
Why do indigenous people use the Northern Lights?
Why do we see Northern Lights?
- The northern lights feature in Norse mythology. One Norse legend has the lights as reflections from the shield and armour of the Valkyries. These female warriors would choose which of the fallen would gain entry to Valhalla.
- The northern lights play a part in Chinese dragon legends. Given the latitude, sightings of the lights in China are always rare. That means that on the rare occasions a significant solar event caused a sighting in China, the impact was signifiant.
- Some Europeans saw the aurora as a harbinger of war. Not everyone associated the lights with gods or postivity. In fact, in the British Isles the skies were said to have ‘blazed red' just a few weeks before the French Revolution.
- Japanese culture associates the aurora with luck. The aurora legends also include fertility! In Japanese culture for example, a child conceived during a northern lights display will be blessed with good looks, intellect and good fortune.
May 10, 2024 · Throughout history, humans have gazed in awe at the astronomical wonder that is the aurora borealis. We’ve wondered what it is and told stories about the lights that shimmered above. The Finnish...
Nov 24, 2023 · What the Northern Lights Mean, According to Indigenous Communities in North America. For centuries, humans have sought to explain the colorful northern lights and find meaning in them.
Jun 10, 2021 · Nothing can ruin our joy in the aurora borealis, or northern lights, those ribbons of blue, green and violet light that cascade from the sky. Not even knowing for sure what causes them.