The aurora borealis is also called the northern polar lights, as it is only visible in the sky from the Northern
Hemisphere, the chance of visibility increasing with proximity to the North Magnetic Pole, which is currently
in the arctic islands of northern Canada. Auroras seen near the magnetic pole may be high overhead, but
from further away, they illuminate the northern horizon as a greenish glow or sometimes a faint red, as if
the sun were rising from an unusual direction. The aurora borealis most often occurs from September to
October and from March to April. The northern lights have had a number of names throughout history.

The Cree people call this phenomenon the "Dance of the Spirits." Auroras can be spotted throughout the
world. It is most visible closer to the poles due to the longer periods of darkness and the magnetic field.

Its southern counterpart, the aurora australis or the southern polar lights, has similar properties, but is
only visible from high southern latitudes in Antarctica, South America, or Australia. Australis is the Latin
word for "of the South."

Benjamin Franklin first brought attention to the "mystery of the Northern Lights." He theorized the shifting
lights to a concentration of electrical charges in the polar regions intensified by the snow and other moisture.