Final answer:
The phenomenon over the North and South poles is caused by electrified ions formed from the absorption of solar radiation. Charged particles from the solar wind spiral along the magnetic field lines towards the poles, causing the aurora borealis or northern lights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon over the North and South poles is caused by electrified ions formed from the absorption of solar radiation. When charged particles from the solar wind reach the Earth's magnetosphere, they spiral along the magnetic field lines towards the poles. If they collide with particles in the Earth's atmosphere, they can cause red or green lights which stretch across a large part of the sky, known as the aurora borealis or northern lights.