Image of the day
Jan 22, 2020
A 'horse' of many colors
© Design Pics/Danita Delimont
Whitehorse, Yukon's only city and the largest in northern Canada, will have just seven hours of daylight today, but nature has a way of compensating for this injustice. The area enjoys frequent and spectacular light shows, thanks to the aurora borealis. The mechanics of northern lights are still not fully understood, but scientists agree that solar winds—big pulses of energy from our sun—pass through the Earth's magnetic fields, especially at the polar regions, resulting in shimmering colors.
Learn moreQuick fact:On the lookout for auroras? NOAA offers forecasts to gauge the probability of auroras appearing at specific times and places.Learn more