National Geographic Science on Instagram: "Whether you’re watching the aurora borealis in the north or the aurora australis in the south, you’re seeing the same spectacle, caused by the solar wind hitting the Earth's magnetic field and producing currents of ions. Those ions collide with gas atoms in the atmosphere, creating extra energy that's released as photons. The result? Beautiful, cascading bands of light in the sky. #HostilePlanet is now streaming on @DisneyPlus."

Kasey & Jason Harrell | Northern Lights & Milky Way Travel on Instagram: "The northern lights are the strongest they’ll be this decade and it won’t last forever. We’re in solar maximum, the peak of the Sun’s 11-year cycle, when it releases more sunspots and solar flares. Those eruptions send charged particles toward Earth, sparking bigger, brighter, and more frequent auroras. By 2026, this peak period will start winding down. If you’ve been dreaming of chasing the aurora, this is the window to m