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Check out Saturn`s Spectacular Northern Lights

Antonia R.Antonia R.
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Saturn

The Hubble Telescope has captured images of Saturn's Northern Lights and below you can see one beautiful photo of this rare phenomenon.

The pictures were taken shortly before Saturn's summer solstice this year. The light phenomenon is a result of solar winds and Saturn's quick spin. Saturn completes one full revolution around its axis in just 11 hours.

In that period the solar wind interacts with the planet's magnetosphere, resulting in its very own Northern Lights. While Earth's aurora extends out up to 200 mi (320 km) into the atmosphere, Saturn's polar lights extend to beyond 870 mi (1400 km) out.

However, in Saturn's aurora it is hydrogen that predominates, making it only visible using ultraviolet light.

The Ringed Planet's aurora peaks twice during the year - before and after the summer solstice and is visible only during dawn.

Our own planet's Northern Lights are also visible only around the north pole but they are caused by solar charged particles which accelerate up to 90 000 times faster than normal at the northernmost part of the Northern hemisphere and then collide with the atmosphere.

Even though the picturesque light is often depicted as a jade green color, the fact is that the colors fluctuate, sometimes appearing red, turquoise or amethyst in hue.

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