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My understanding is that these particles can get channeled into the upper atmosphere and when they lose energy they ionize atmospheric gasses, and those ionized
by titzer 8y ago
My understanding is that these particles can get channeled into the upper atmosphere and when they lose energy they ionize atmospheric gasses, and those ionized gasses (such as oxygen and nitrogen) are the actual glow. So you don't see the actual particles themselves.
- pbhjpbhj 8y agoYou can go the next level and say it's the photons emitted that you actually see ... then go the next level and say it's a constructed view that we really "see" in our brains not the raw results of photon impacts on our retinas. Not sure what the next level is? Something about societal artistic interpretation of aurorae impacting the perception of the visual image created, perturbing our sense of reality?
- titzer 8y agoIt's all in your mind, man. :)