It's a bone-chilling -18 degrees Fahrenheit in Churchill, Manitoba, where the northern lights are making a dazzling display in the sky. For those not up to braving such temperatures, a single camera is bringing the natural phenomenon to viewers around the world.
Tuesday is the best forecast of the year for auroras borealis, and Explore.org is broadcasting live footage through the night. Charles Annenberg Weingarten, founder of Explore.org, said seeing the northern lights is part of "a universal bucket list for all of us," and through the website, people can watch "in the comfort of your home with your extended family."
The sun has several magnetic fields, and when they become knotted together, they create sunspots. When particles of plasma escape into space, it takes about 40 hours for that solar wind to reach Earth, Space.com explains, and once the particles arrive, they are drawn to the magnetic south and north poles. The gorgeous lights of the aurora borealis are caused by the particles passing through the Earth's magnetic shield and mixing with atoms and molecules of oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements. Visit Explore.org to take in this beautiful sight.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Renewables top coal as Trump seeks reversalSpeed Read For the first time, renewable energy sources generated more power than coal, said a new report
-
China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit
-
At least 800 dead in Afghanistan earthquakespeed read A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star programspeed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
