Miles O’Brien:
So, the sun has a cycle, John, of about 11 years. It goes from solar minimum to solar maximum.
We're right at about at the maximum or we're approaching it. And what that means is that the activity on the sun greatly increases. And it blows particles from the sun in our direction that interact with the magnetic field in our atmosphere and, in so doing, excite them and make them colorful, and, in some cases, green and red colors.
And because we're at this point in time, where there's more of this activity headed our way, we're seeing wonderful aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. And it is extending a little farther to lower latitudes. So it's a great opportunity. If you have never had the chance to see them, by all means, make an effort to do it. You don't have to go to the Arctic or to Iceland anymore because of this solar maximum.
And what's great about it, too, is, when you go to see them, every time you see them, it's different. It's a different kind of ethereal thing of green and red lights in the night. And it's — it's kind of a romantic thing, actually.
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