Aurora over Tromsø, Norway | Earth Science
Astrophotographer Eva Kristiansen: "Indescribably beautiful Northern Lights—heavenly colors beyond words, powerful and lasting for hours. Magical and unreal. Bringing me joy and energy!"
Solid Colored Aurora
Green is common at the upper latitudes, while red is rare. On the other hand, aurora viewed from lower latitudes tend to be red.
Element Emission Colors
Oxygen: The big player in the aurora is oxygen. Oxygen is responsible for the vivid green (wavelength of 557.7 nm) and also for a deep brownish-red (wavelength of 630.0 nm). Pure green and greenish-yellow aurorae result from the excitation of oxygen.
Nitrogen: Nitrogen emits blue (multiple wavelengths) and red light.
Other Gases: Other gases in the atmosphere become excited and emit light, although the wavelengths may be outside of the range of human vision or else too faint to see. Hydrogen and helium, for example, emit blue and purple. Although our eyes cannot see all of these colors, photographic film and digital cameras often record a broader range of hues.
Aurora Colors According to Altitude
Above 150 miles: red, oxygen
Up to 150 miles: green, oxygen
Above 60 miles: purple or violet, nitrogen
Up to 60 miles: blue, nitrogen
The Colors of the Aurora (U.S. National Park Service)
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The country shares a long eastern border with Sweden, and is bordered by Finland and Russia to the northeast.
Image Credit: Eva Kristiansen
Image Details: Nikon D850 Nikkor 14-24mm
Eva's website: https://www.instagram.com/xevitak/
Location: Tromsø, Norway
Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Eva's website: https://www.instagram.com/xevitak/
Location: Tromsø, Norway
Date: Jan. 20, 2026
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