This children’s article, Discover the Northern Lights: A guide for kids, has been written for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children practise reading and comprehension, learn useful vocabulary, and explore one of the most amazing sights in the night sky. Written by Sinead O’Carroll, an experienced teacher and writer.
The colourful lights in the sky
The Northern Lights are glowing shapes and swirls of colour that sometimes appear in the night sky. They are most often seen in countries near the North Pole, such as Norway, Sweden, Canada and Iceland. They are also called the aurora borealis.
The lights can be green, pink, purple, blue, or even red. They are caused by something very surprising – storms on the Sun!
What causes the Northern Lights?
The Sun sometimes has powerful storms called solar storms. These storms send out very hot gas made of tiny charged particles. The particles travel through space, and some of them travel millions of miles and reach Earth.
When these particles hit gases in Earth’s atmosphere, they make them glow. This glowing is what we see as the Northern Lights.The lights appear in the sky near the North and South Poles, where Earth’s magnetic field is strongest. In the southern hemisphere, the same thing happens – but those lights are called the Southern Lights, or aurora australis.
Why do the lights have different colours?
The two most common gases in our atmosphere are oxygen and nitrogen. When the Sun’s particles hit oxygen, the sky can glow green or red. Nitrogen gives off pink, blue and purple.
Green is the colour most people see, but during big solar storms, there can be red or purple flashes too.
When and where can you see them?
The best chance to see the Northern Lights is in places close to the North Pole. This includes Alaska, Canada, Russia, and parts of northern Europe. They are brightest around midnight.
The best seasons are spring and autumn, around March and September. This is when more magnetic storms happen in space.
In the past, the lights were very rare in places like the UK. But recently, they’ve become more common. That’s because the Sun is reaching the most active part of its 11-year cycle. More sunspots and solar storms mean more auroras for us to enjoy.
Sometimes, you can even see them further south!
Are they always bright?
The Northern Lights don’t always look as bright as they do in photos. That’s because cameras can collect more light than our eyes. But even if they look faint, they are still an amazing thing to see.
And here’s something cool – Earth isn’t the only planet with auroras. Scientists have seen them on Jupiter, Saturn, and even Mars!If you want to learn more read this: Learn more about auroras from NASA Space Place
Article vocabulary list
- Aurora – a natural light display in the sky, caused by solar particles hitting Earth’s atmosphere
- Charged particles – tiny parts of atoms that carry electricity
- Atmosphere – the layer of gases around a planet
- Solar storm – a big burst of energy and particles from the Sun
- Magnetic field – an invisible force around Earth that protects us from space particles
- Oxygen – a gas in the air that humans need to breathe
- Nitrogen – the most common gas in Earth’s atmosphere
- Cycle – something that happens again and again in a pattern
Comprehension questions
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1. What is another name for the Northern Lights?
a) Solar sparkle
b) Aurora borealis
c) Sun storm
Answer: b) Aurora borealis
2. What causes the Northern Lights to appear?
Answer: Charged particles from the Sun hitting gases in Earth’s atmosphere
3. Which gas makes the sky glow green during an aurora?
a) Oxygen
b) Hydrogen
c) Nitrogen
Answer: a) Oxygen
4. Where are you most likely to see the Northern Lights?
a) Near the equator
b) Near the North Pole
c) Over the ocean
Answer: b) Near the North Pole
5. True or false: The Southern Lights are a different name for the Northern Lights seen in summer.
Answer: False
6. Why have more people in the UK seen the Northern Lights in recent years?
Answer: Because the Sun is reaching the most active part of its cycle
7. What time of night are the Northern Lights usually brightest?
a) Just after sunset
b) Around midnight
c) Early in the morning
Answer: b) Around midnight
8. Which gas can glow pink or purple in an aurora?
Answer: Nitrogen
Sinead is a writer and EFL teacher with eight years’ experience. She’s a native English speaker who loves making news stories fun and easy to understand for children around the world. Her passions include travel, animals, and helping to make the world a kinder, more sustainable place.
