Saturday, July 27, 2024
The polar lights, also known by their scientific name aurora polaris, are a breathtaking natural phenomenon. This is caused by electrically charged particles, from the sun, slamming into the Earth’s upper atmosphere at a high rate of speed. Earth’s magnetic field then redirects the particles towards the poles.
The polar lights, also known by their scientific name aurora polaris, are a breathtaking natural phenomenon. This is caused by electrically charged particles, from the sun, slamming into the Earth’s upper atmosphere at a high rate of speed. Earth’s magnetic field then redirects the particles towards the poles. One of the best places to see them is above the article circle. Here, the northern lights, known as aurora borealis, tend to be much more visible. Thus, making it a frequent backdrop for our troops while they train in extreme cold weather.
70th Brigade Engineer Battalion operating in their training area at Arctic Anvil near Fort Wainwright, Alaska (Photo by 1st Lt. Haileigh Combs)
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) passes under the northern lights while participating in exercise Trident Juncture (Photo by MC3 Kevin Leitner)
U.S. Army AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter assigned to 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) under an aurora sky on Fort Wainwright, Alaska (Photo by CW2 Cameron Roxberry)
Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) observes the northern lights while operating above the Arctic Circle in Baffin Bay (Photo by CPO Matt Masaschi)
The northern lights glow above an Avenger Air Defense System assigned to 1st Battalion, 265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Florida Army National Guard, during Exercise ARCTIC EDGE 2022 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska (Photo by SrA Joseph P. LeVeille)