aurora borealis

aurora bo·re·al·is | \ -ˌbȯr-ē-ˈa-ləs

How to pronounce aurora borealis (audio)

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Definition of aurora borealis

: an aurora that occurs in earth's northern hemisphere

— called also northern lights

Examples of aurora borealis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Let your eyeballs take a vacation with this soothing time lapse of the aurora borealis. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "5 things to know for December 20: Dem debate, impeachment, weather, Russia, Ebola," 20 Dec. 2019 The equivalent of the aurora borealis in the Southern Hemisphere, aurora australis are most commonly found in southern Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and Antarctica, per Smithsonian Magazine. — Joshua Bote, USA TODAY, "A stunning aurora light show turned the sky green for some Australians stuck at home," 21 Apr. 2020 There are only a few accessible locations with quality views of the colorful aurora borealis. — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, "Alaska Airlines Has Flight Discounts to See the Northern Lights," 13 Jan. 2020 These disturbances sail outward and smash into our planet’s magnetic field, creating colorful light shows like the aurora borealis and sometimes disrupting communications. — Joshua Sokol, New York Times, "Sunspots and Stranded Whales: A Bizarre Correlation," 25 Feb. 2020 Palmroth, and her Facebook team of Aurora enthusiasts, had spotted a previously unclassified aurora borealis. — Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, "How Citizen Scientists Helped Discover a New Aurora," 3 Feb. 2020 Hotels, dog mushing businesses and aurora borealis tour operators also report losing out on business. — Michelle Theriault Boots, Anchorage Daily News, "Coronavirus leads hundreds of Chinese tourists to cancel Alaska winter trips," 19 Feb. 2020 Tromsø, one of Norway’s northernmost towns, is one of the best places in the world to view the aurora borealis dance across the sky in vibrant hues of green, blue, pink and violet. — Gwen Pratesi, USA TODAY, "2020's best winter cruises: Choose from the Caribbean, Cambodia, Norway, Galápagos, more," 30 Dec. 2019 The region is a popular winter destination for tourists seeking aurora borealis, but summer is mainly for locals, climbers, car campers, and other adventurers. — Mallory Farrugia, Vogue, "Why Your Next Summer Getaway Should Be Above the Arctic Circle," 14 Nov. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aurora borealis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

23 May 2020

Cite this Entry

“Aurora borealis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora%20borealis. Accessed 2 Jun. 2020.

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