Three IS the magic number! Digit appears in the Northern Lights
Throughout history special significance has been given to the number three and now the magical digit has been seen in the Arctic Clircle's Northern Lights.
Amateur photographer Miles Morgan, from Portland, Oregon, in the U.S. snapped this striking image of the green number above a pine forest near Kiruna in Sweden.
As the first prime number three is considered lucky in some cultures. It also has strong Christian symbolism with Jesus rising from the cave on the third day following his cruxification.
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High-light: Aurora borealis pictured over a pine forest in Kiruna, Sweden. A dazzling array of lights dance across the sky in a series of stunning images captured in the Arctic borders of Europe
Mr Morgan said: 'The first time I saw the lights I was completely gobsmacked. It was one of the most thrilling and amazing moments I've ever had, and it will stay with me forever.
'The explosions of a corona overhead are so massive that it makes you feel like the smallest thing in the universe. It is truly a miracle of nature.'
northern lights, or aurora borealis, occurs when highly charged
electrons from solar wind interact with elements in the earth's
As the electrons enter the upper atmosphere, they encounter atoms of oxygen and nitrogen at altitudes from 20 to 200 miles above the earth's surface.
The colour of the aurora depends on which atom is struck, and the altitude of the meeting.Green and reds are found at higher altitudes, while blue, purple and violets are lower.
Mr Morgan travelled long distances each day and went up to 40 hours without sleep in his efforts to find perfectly clear skies.
Magical scene:The aurora borealis (or the northern lights), is named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas
colds reaching -30C also made shooting difficult as the batteries in
his camera would freeze or his lens would frost over. His best
photographs came on the final night of his trip as the sky 'exploded'
of colour started to form, and it looked promising enough that I
screamed for my mates to get out of the car and come see the activity,'
'Then, the sky literally exploded. There was colour in every direction, waves and patterns of light ripping across the sky with astonishing speed,' he said.
seems like something so massive and incredible should make some sort of
sound, but it was silent in the frozen deep forests of Sweden.'
The aurora goes on all year but September-March is considered the best time to see them.
Miles said this winter is the peak of a decade-long cycle of solar activity - making the chances of seeing the northern lights the best they will be for many years.
VIDEO: Footage showing an alien face in the Northern Lights