Ontario Grade 9 Science Class Practice Exam

The phenomenon that is characterized by streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky is known as the Aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. This occurs when charged particles from the sun enter the Earth's atmosphere and collide with gases, creating glowing lights in the night sky. A solar eclipse and lunar eclipse do not produce colorful lights in the sky, but instead block the sun or moon from view. A meteor shower can produce brief streaks of light, but does not create the long-lasting, vibrant lights seen in the Aurora borealis.