Auroras

An aurora (also commonly known as the polar lights) is a natural light display in Earth’s sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers covering the entire sky.

Auroras are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. Major disturbances result from enhancements in the speed of the solar wind from coronal holes and coronal mass ejections. These disturbances alter the trajectories of charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma. These particles, mainly electrons and protons, precipitate into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere). The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emit light of varying colour and complexity. The form of the aurora, occurring within bands around both polar regions, is also dependent on the amount of acceleration imparted to the precipitating particles.

There are many potential explanations for sightings. We recommend eliminating the most common and mundane before jumping to less probable conclusions or you submit a report.

Resources

Space/NASA Launches

Planned launches occur regularly all over the globe. These tracks can help identify the potential missions or launches in your area.

SpaceLaunchSchedule.com

SpaceFlightNow.com

RocketLaunch.Live

Satellite Trackers

Satellite tracking can also be done in real-time with the aid of tracking maps. They are also helpful for tracking Starlink launches.

Heavens Above

N2YO

Satellitemap.space

Spot the Station (International Space Station)

Space Weather

There are a number of sites which track solar flares, magnetic storms, asteroids, and other events which are helpful for eliminating explanations related to astronomic phenomena.

Spaceweather.com

Spaceweather.gov

Eyes on Asteroids

 

Méprises Du Ciel

French site (with English translations) with resources and examples covering the most commonly observed phenomena and explanations for UFOs.