Aurora refers to a natural light display occurring in the Earth's upper atmosphere. This phenomenon is caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with atoms in the atmosphere, specifically exciting oxygen and nitrogen to emit various colors including green, red, and purple.
The term used for these displays depends on their geographic location. In high-latitude regions, they are known as polar lights or aurora polaris. Specifically, they are called northern lights or aurora borealis in the Arctic, and southern lights or aurora australis in the Antarctic. These light displays often form dynamic patterns such as curtains, rays, spirals, or flickers that can cover the entire sky.