Northern lights usher in autumn near the Arctic Circle

[Buster's Uncle]

Northern lights usher in autumn near the Arctic Circle
Yahoo News
By Dylan Stableford  October 3, 2014 2:11 PM



A tourist takes photos of an Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) over the Bals-Fiord north of the Arctic Circle, near the village of Mestervik late September 30, 2014. (REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis)



An Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is seen at the Bals-Fiord north of the Arctic Circle, near the village of Mestervik late September 30, 2014. (REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis)

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For many people, fall means cool, crisp air, changing leaves and pumpkin spice lattes. In the Arctic Circle, autumn is marked by the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, a natural light display caused by the collision of gaseous particles in Earth's atmosphere with electrically charged particles from the sun.

Last month Reuters photographer Yannis Behrakis captured stunning images of the northern lights near the village of Mestervik, Norway, where skywatchers were treated to a spectacular nightly light show. (They're visible year-round, but are generally most vivid around the spring and fall equinoxes.)

Of course, you don't always have to go to Norway to see the northern lights.

In June storm chasers near St. Cloud, Minn., captured an awe-inducing time-lapse video of the aurora borealis just after moonset and before sunrise, with yellow-green lights dancing against central Minnesota's brilliant purple sky.


http://news.yahoo.com/northern-lights-arctic-circle-181154520.html