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Looking at a Martian Aurora Borealis

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the northern-lights dept.

mike_1138 writes "According to new research, 'The Martian auroras differ from those on Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune...' I've seen the Borealis here on Earth, and they're beautiful. I can't imagine what they must look like in a Martian night."

3 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. Aurora Borealis? NO! Aurora Australis! by Bananatree3 · · Score: 4, Informative
    FTA:Auroras were detected from Terra Cimmeria in the southern hemisphere of Mars.

    southern hemispher auroras are called Aurora Australis. Nothern Hemisphere auroras are Aurora Borealis.

    1. Re:Aurora Borealis? NO! Aurora Australis! by zakezuke · · Score: 4, Informative

      The terms "Borealis" and "Australis" are somewhat meaningless on Mars. The correct term is simply "Aurora". It's the editors who made the goof.

      Borealis, Boreas - The great north wind; greek god of. aka Aquilo
      Australis, Auster - The great south wind; roman god of. aka Notus

      Aurora - latin / middle english - Dawn

      If you want to be anal about the subject, Aurora Aquilonis would be a bit more consistent with the Roman theme. But both words would apply on other planets just as well as they do on earth as it means the dawn north or south wind.

      --
      There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  2. Re:I can't imagine what they must look like on Mar by SeaDour · · Score: 4, Informative

    Aurora on Jupiter: http://msslhx.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/~npm/Web_Pages/Visito r_Pages/aurora/Jupiter_aurora.gif

    Aurora on Saturn: http://www.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/pages/general/news/satur ns_aurora/assets/saturn_aurora.jpg

    Uranus and Neptune probably have them too, but are too far away to see them clearly from Earth-based telescopes.