18 of the Most Mesmerizing, Incredible Images of Auroras Over the Past Ten Years

Auroras are one of the most beautifully captivating phenomenons of our mysterious planet. They are nature's light show, and they far surpass any stage magic Lady Gaga or The Flaming Lips could ever pull off.

They occur in high latitude regions, near our Earth's poles, in the Arctic and Antarctic. Auroras in the north (the Arctic) are known as borealis, whereas ones in the south (Antarctica) are astralis. Their luminescent, green display is caused by the collision of energy-charged particles with polarized atoms in the thermosphere.

But science aside, they are breathtaking beyond words. And hats off to the NASA International Space Station for many of the images.