Good Question: Why are Northern Lights colors different depending on where you are?

(WKYT) — A lot of you sent us pictures of the Northern Lights making their way into Kentucky.

For today’s Good Question, Lois Ann asks: Why are the colors of the aurora different depending on where you are?

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The northern lights are charged solar particles coming from the sun. They interact with the earth’s magnetic field and particles like oxygen and nitrogen, producing a beautiful light show.

Altitude determines color

The color is mostly determined by the altitude at which those particles interact, because certain gases are more prevalent at different altitudes.

According to NASA, the variety of colors depends on altitude. At the very top above 120 miles in the air, oxygen atoms glow red. In the middle, nitrogen glows bl