Lõunavalguste

Lõunavalguste is an Estonian term that translates to "southern lights" and refers to atmospheric optical phenomena visible in the southern hemisphere. These phenomena are analogous to the aurora borealis, or northern lights, which are seen in the northern hemisphere. The most common form of lõunavalguste is the aurora australis, a natural light display in the Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions.

The aurora australis is caused by disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. When charged particles from the sun collide with atoms and molecules in Earth's upper atmosphere, they excite these particles, causing them to emit light. The colors of the aurora are determined by the type of gas particles involved and the altitude at which the collision occurs. Oxygen typically produces green and red light, while nitrogen can produce blue and purple light.

While the aurora australis is the most prominent lõunavalguste phenomenon, the term can also encompass other less common atmospheric displays that occur in southern latitudes. These might include certain types of halos, sundogs, or other light refractions caused by ice crystals or water droplets in the atmosphere. The visibility of lõunavalguste, like its northern counterpart, is dependent on factors such as solar activity, geographic location, and atmospheric conditions. For observers in the southern hemisphere, particularly those at high latitudes like Antarctica or southern parts of Australia, New Zealand, and South America, the chance of witnessing these celestial displays is greatest during periods of heightened solar activity.