Red Aurora over Mongolia

Red Aurora over Mongolia

Also known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras.

Learn more about auroras: 

https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Mongolia is a landlocked country in the East Asia region. Bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It is the second largest landlocked country after Kazakhstan, as well as the largest landlocked country that does not border an inland sea.

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)

https://www.nps.gov/articles/-articles-aps-v8-i1-c9.htm

Image Credit: Max Moreiras
Location: Ulaanbataar, Mongolia
Date: Jan. 20, 2026

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