Aurora 1

(Sept 2011) Today we celebrate another of those cosmic marvels, the aurora; in this hemisphere, the Northern Lights. The scientific explanation (that they are caused by the collision of energetic charged particles, partly originating in the solar wind, which collide with atoms and are directed by the earth's magnetic field into the atmosphere) is itself a marvel as well as the manifestations themselves which, understandably, draw people from all over the world to the auroral zones. Another wonder of our creation!

(Update July 2016: Magnificent Auroras also discovered on Jupiter, about to be visited by the amazing space probe ‘Juno’. If all goes well, stand by for a series of spectacular picture of the giant planet.)

Aurora in sky of gold

Aurora

Your hand,

O Lord,

ripples the light

at the ends of the earth.

You have set the stage

for dancing curtains

to irradiate

the dark hours

preceding

a polar dawn

at the behest

of Your beautiful servant

the sun,

whose life-giving

irridescence

is muted

and borrowed

so we might safely

be wonder-struck

by the glory

of Your

heavenly light.

You may also enjoy Aurora II on this site.