Which term refers to the aurora observed near the southern hemisphere?

Which term refers to the aurora observed near the southern hemisphere?

• A. Aurora australis
• B. Aurora borealis
• C. Sunspots
• D. Solar wind

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how auroras are named based on the hemisphere they appear in. Auroras occur when charged solar wind particles collide with Earth's atmosphere near the poles, lighting up the sky. The southern-hemisphere glow is called the aurora australis (australis means south), while the northern-hemisphere glow is the aurora borealis (borealis means north). So, for an aurora seen near the southern hemisphere, the best term is aurora australis. The other options aren’t a southern name: aurora borealis refers to the northern aurora; sunspots are features on the Sun’s surface; solar wind is the stream of particles that can drive auroras but isn’t the name of the southern aurora.

The main idea is how auroras are named based on the hemisphere they appear in. Auroras occur when charged solar wind particles collide with Earth's atmosphere near the poles, lighting up the sky. The southern-hemisphere glow is called the aurora australis (australis means south), while the northern-hemisphere glow is the aurora borealis (borealis means north).

So, for an aurora seen near the southern hemisphere, the best term is aurora australis. The other options aren’t a southern name: aurora borealis refers to the northern aurora; sunspots are features on the Sun’s surface; solar wind is the stream of particles that can drive auroras but isn’t the name of the southern aurora.