Does the aurora make sounds?
This question is always good for a lively discussion among residents of the north. So far, attempts to record sound during aurora have failed to produce any proof that such sounds exist, but it is hard to ignore the numerous reports that go back centuries. There are generally two types of sounds reported to accompany the aurora. The first is a swishing sound that changes with movements in that auroral display. The second type is a crackling sound, like static electricity makes. The problem with claims of sound that changes in time with auroral movements is that the aurora is a long ways away (100 km/60 miles), so if sound was coming from the aurora, there would be a long delay between the auroral movement and the sound arriving at the listener’s ears, just as thunder arrives long after a distant lightning flash is observed. There is also the small detail that the air between us and the aurora is far too thin to carry sound over such long distances. Therefore, if this kind of sound exis
