Final answer:
Auroras are light displays caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with the Earth's atmosphere near the magnetic poles. the Sun emits these particles which are then guided by the Earth's magnetic field to the poles, where they excite atmospheric gases to emit the auroral glow.
Step-by-step explanation:
We observe auroras due to interactions between charged particles from the Sun and the Earth's atmosphere, occurring near the magnetic poles. the Sun plays a crucial role in creating auroras by emitting a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind. these particles are funneled towards the Earth's poles by its magnetic field. When these charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere, such as oxygen and nitrogen, they excite these atoms, causing them to release photons, which creates the visible glow of the aurora.
The Earth's magnetic field is fundamental to the phenomenon of aurora. The field lines, entering at the north and south magnetic poles, guide the solar wind's charged particles into the atmosphere. These particles are then accelerated along the lines of the magnetic field toward the Earth's poles, where they collide with atmospheric gases, resulting in the enchanting light displays known as the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) and the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis).