Final. Things to observe with the naked eye.

Question 1

Northern Lights

Answer 1

Auroras. produced by gas in Earth’s atmosphere that is excited by energy from the solar winds. This causes the gas to glow, giving us the auroras.
Higher in the sky than meteors (shooting stars), which are 30 to 50 mi. up in the sky.

Question 2

Aureole

Answer 2

caused by diffraction of light round cloud droplets.

Not a “halo”

Question 3

What causes Aurorae?

Answer 3

1. High-velocity electrons from solar flares “heat up” atoms in our upper atmosphere by collisions.
2. Atoms “cool off” by emitting light.
   (same light emission process as meteors)

Question 4

Solar flares

Answer 4

occur near sunspots. more spots means more flares.

Question 5

Zodiacal Light

Answer 5

sunlight reflecting off of interplanetary dust inside of Earth’s orbit.

Question 6

Gegenschein

Answer 6

reflection off of dust beyond Earth’s orbit.

Question 7

Sundogs

Answer 7

mock sun or phantom sun

scientific name: parhelion.

Question 8

sun pillars

Answer 8

reflection of light from ice crystals with near horizontal parallel planar surfaces.

Question 9

Halo

Answer 9

ice crystals creating colored or white arcs and spots in the sky. usually near the sun or moon.

Question 10

Earth’s Shadow

Answer 10

the shadow that earth itself casts on its atmosphere.

aka dark segment

Question 11

Rainbow

Answer 11

reflection and refraction of light in water droplets.