People have long claimed to hear the northern lights. Are the reports true?

[Judi Lynn]

By Fiona Amery about 11 hours ago

Or is it just an illusion?

It's a question that has puzzled observers for centuries: do the fantastic green and crimson light displays of the aurora borealis produce any discernible sound?

Conjured by the interaction of solar particles with gas molecules in Earth's atmosphere, the aurora generally occurs near Earth's poles, where the magnetic field is strongest. Reports of the aurora making a noise, however, are rare — and were historically dismissed by scientists.

But a Finnish study in 2016 claimed to have finally confirmed that the northern lights really do produce sound audible to the human ear. A recording made by one of the researchers involved in the study even claimed to have captured the sound made by the captivating lights 70 meters above ground level.

Still, the mechanism behind the sound remains somewhat mysterious, as are the conditions that must be met for the sound to be heard. My recent research takes a look over historic reports of auroral sound to understand the methods of investigating this elusive phenomenon and the process of establishing whether reported sounds were objective, illusory or imaginary.



Within the First International Polar Year expedition reports, Danish schoolteacher Sophus Tromholt and Maj. Henry Dawson focused research on auroral sound. In 1882, Tromholt established a base at Kautokeino, a Norwegian village close to the Finnish–Norwegian border. (Image credit:The Royal Society Journal of the History of Science/CC By 4.0)

More:
https://www.livescience.com/people-hear-the-northern-lights?utm_source=notification

[Patterson]

1. I believe it.

[Budi]

2. Yes. I have heard the sound the Northern Lights make as they dance across the night sky

It's a sound similar to a sizzle or hissss. Quiet tho & not every time. The more rapid movement, the more likely you'l hear it.

I grew up watching the night sky & everytime we saw this beautiful phenomenal gift of nature, was like the 1st time you'd seen it.
Always a different show & always as intriguing as the 1st.

Yes, at certain times the Northern Lights do make a sound we can hear.

[happybird]

3. I heard a meteor shower once

It was the same sound- a sizzle or hiss, and it was only heard from the larger ones.
When we arrived at our viewing spot, I thought the first one we saw and heard was a sparkler thrown by my friend, lol!

[Budi]

4. Yes! That is it. The sound from the lights is very subtle & seems to be evident with ...

...the more sweeping rapid movements.

I've heard the sound you describe with a meteor falling (burning up?). It was a nice size one & it sizzled & disappeared.

Northern Lights are a more subtle sound, but similar..like a quick whoosh or sssssss.
The night sky always offers a reason to be amazed & grateful.

Love it

[ratchiweenie]

5. Yes. And they can be fairly loud. I was living in Fairbanks, Alaska and walking home late one night

and heard this strange zuuup zuuup sound over and over. It was very, very cold. Even for Fairbanks. It sorta scared me until I looked up and realized it was the northern lights and they were putting on a spectacular display, moving very rapidly back and forth across the sky. First and only time I ever heard them. It was amazing and I have never forgotten it.