For ages people have been fascinated by an incredibly beautiful and vivid light show, illuminating the night sky, known as an aurora. In his Naturales Quaestiones, Roman philosopher Seneca included a story about the Northern Lights noticed once above the city of Ostia. The aurora was so bright and red, that the fire alert was raised by a cohort of the army stationing nearby.

During this lesson we will talk about the origins of an aurora. Why does it occur? What colours can we expect to see and why? What are the best places to spot it?