The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are caused by interactions between the Earth's magnetic field and particles from the Sun. When solar storms eject electrons and protons from the Sun's surface, they are guided by the magnetic field toward the magnetic poles, where they collide with gases in the atmosphere and release energy in the form of colorful light displays. The auroral oval, which is the main region where the Northern Lights occur, is centered around the magnetic poles and can vary in size and location depending on the level of solar activity and strength of the solar wind. The solar atmosphere reaches temperatures of millions of degrees, causing hydrogen to break into electrons and protons that are then carried away in the solar wind toward Earth and other planets