The aurora borealis, or the northern lights, is a colorful light show in the sky. It is usually seen near the North Pole.*

It happens when particles from the Sun hit Earth’s magnetic field. This lights up the air and makes green or purple light.

In January 2026, the Sun sent a very strong solar storm toward Earth. It was the largest solar radiation storm in over 20 years.

Because of this storm, people in Europe* and the United States* saw bright lights in the sky.

“Solar storms can change what we see in the sky,” one scientist said.

* aurora borealis 오로라 (= northern lights 북극광)

* the North Pole 북극

* Europe <대륙> 유럽

* the United States <나라> 미국