plural auroras or aurorae
ə-ˈrȯr-(ˌ)ē 
ȯ-
1
: dawn
2
Aurora
: the Roman goddess of dawn compare eos
3
: a luminous phenomenon that consists of streamers or arches of light appearing in the upper atmosphere of a planet's magnetic polar regions and is caused by the emission of light from atoms excited by electrons accelerated along the planet's magnetic field lines
Examples of aurora in a Sentence
a gorgeous pink aurora aroused us out of our slumber
Recent Examples on the Web
This phenomenon makes the potential for auroras more likely in the weeks leading up to the equinox, the scientists found.
—
ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
On Ganymede, the auroras are produced via interactions with Jupiter's vast magnetosphere rather than the solar wind.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026
The planet’s auroras appear as rosy, glowing patches that extend above the visible edges of Uranus’s atmosphere in the JWST images, which also capture the ice giant’s delicate ring system and the bright clouds around its polar cap.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2026
But Uranus' lopsided rotations means the auroras that form are not in line with its northern and southern poles, as is the case on other planets like Earth, Jupiter and Saturn.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
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ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
On Ganymede, the auroras are produced via interactions with Jupiter's vast magnetosphere rather than the solar wind.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026
The planet’s auroras appear as rosy, glowing patches that extend above the visible edges of Uranus’s atmosphere in the JWST images, which also capture the ice giant’s delicate ring system and the bright clouds around its polar cap.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 24 Feb. 2026
But Uranus' lopsided rotations means the auroras that form are not in line with its northern and southern poles, as is the case on other planets like Earth, Jupiter and Saturn.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aurora
Cite this Entry
“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Aurora
geographical name
Au·ro·ra
ə-ˈrȯr-ə
ȯ-
1
city in north central Colorado east of Denver population 325,078
2
city west of Chicago in northeastern Illinois population 197,899
3
town north of Toronto in southeastern Ontario, Canada population 53,203
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