Iyini i-aurora?
I-aurora, eyaziwa nangokuthi izibani ze-polar, iyisibonakaliso sokukhanya kwemvelo esibhakabhakeni somhlaba, esibonakala kakhulu ezindaweni eziphakeme (ezizungeze i-Arctic ne-Antarctic). Ama-aurora abonisa imiklamo enamandla yokukhanya okukhazimulayo okubonakala njengamakhethini, imisebe, imicu, noma ukubaneka okunamandla okuhlanganisa isibhakabhaka sonke.  Ama - aurora abangelwa ukuphazamiseka kwe - magnetosphere okubangelwa umoya welanga. Ukuphazamiseka okukhulu kubangelwa ukuthuthuka kwejubane lomoya welanga ovela emigodini ye-coronal nasekukhishweni kobuningi be-coronal. Lezi ziphazamiso zishintsha indlela izinhlayiya ezikhokhelwayo ezihamba ngayo ku-plasma ye-magnetosphere. Lezi zinhlayiya, ikakhulukazi ama-electron nama-proton, ziwela emkhathini ongaphezulu (i-thermosphere/exosphere). Ukwakheka kwe-ioni kanye nokukhuthazwa kwezakhi zomkhathi kukhipha ukukhanya okunezinhlobonhlobo zombala nokuyinkimbinkimbi. Ukwakheka kwe-aurora, okwenzeka ngaphakathi kwamabhande azungeze izifunda zombili ze-polar, nakho kuncike ebuningini bokusheshisa okunikezwe izinhlayiya ezikhishwayo.