240:
Nights per year the aurora is visible in the central Northwest Territories
50:
Nights per year it’s visible in the High Arctic
1:
Nights per year it’s visible in Los Angeles
24:
Hours per day that the aurora is active
80:
Average elevation, in kilometers, of pale green auroras
400:
Average elevation, in kilometers, or bright red auroras
200,000:
Volts measured in auroras during intense magnetic storms.
3,000,000:
Speed, in kilometers per hour, at which charged solar particles bombard Earth’s atmosphere, setting off the aurora
1,500:
Frequency per year that those bursts of particles hit the Earth
11:
Number of years between peaks in auroral activity
1616:
Year in which Gallileo Galilei coined the name “aurora borealis”
1958:
Year in which North America experienced an aurora so massive it was seen in Mexico City
(Keen to see the Lights in person? Check out our Aurora adventures.)
