The otherworldly phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis, or the northern lights, has captivated us for centuries, with descriptions of the aurora going as far back as written history. ‘Aurora’ means goddess of dawn and ‘Borealis’ is the Greek word for wind. The words come together to mean ‘dawn wind.’

With many mystical connotations over the years, ancient beliefs first attributed this phenomenon to fires in the sky. 2,300 years ago, Aristotle coined the lights as ‘chasmata,’ to mean that cracks in the sky had allowed light in from the heavens beyond. Modern scientific understanding has worked to uncover the mysteries associated with the lights, and the findings are equally fascinating.

Much is known about the science behind the lights, why they occur, how they occur and where their brilliant colours come from. More interestingly, while this is a natural phenomenon, there are resonances to our human realities in how they behave. This leap of imagination is one way of appreciating our natural landscapes in parallel with behaviours we’re already accustomed to.

The northern lights dance, largely due to auroral breakups. This involves changes in the form and intensity of the aurora, moving from static curtains of light to swirling, dancing spectacles. Multiple breakups can occur on a single night, especially during periods of moderate to high auroral activity. A low-activity night usually has one or two breakups. Scientists advise staying longer on seeing multiple bands appear in an area, as this usually means a breakup is about to unfold.

The lights sing too, providing a multi-sensory experience to those lucky enough to catch a glimpse. Many observers have reported hearing hissing noises or static similar to radio transmissions. This auditory aspect of the aurora is linked to the interaction of charged particles from the sun with Earth's magnetosphere, triggering excitement in oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules.

As in idealized human relationships, the aurora borealis in The Northern Hemisphere also has a perfect counterpart. The aurora australis in The Southern Hemisphere is a mirror image of its Northern equivalent. They occur simultaneously and even share the same shape, highlighting the symmetrical beauty of nature, even poles apart.As our understanding of and fascination with the lights continues to evolve, science and mysticism both have a role to play. Our ability to recognise nature’s systems as interlinked with our own modes of expression can open new ways of thinking about natural phenomena and human living.

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