During ancient times, people who have witnessed the display of the aurora borealis at night time means that they have just witnessed the “Dance of the Spirits”, and this is according to the Native American folklore. Here are some of the known legends that people believed in the past:
- It signifies goodwill from the gods of Ottawa
- It is a sign of the gods helping the women give childbirth (Siberia)
- It is the spirits of the little children who died during childbirth (East Greenland)
- The lights are the reflection from the shields of Valkyrie taking dead warriors to the heaven called Valhalla. (Vikings)
- The lights are seen as the door to the world of the dead people
- Seeing the lights mean a bad omen to the Indian tribe
- The lights signify the spirits that are yet to be born
- The lights are fire from the dragons’ breath (China)
With other legends not listed above, the mystery of the aurora remains to be elusive during the ancient times. But with the help of astronomy, the mystery has unraveled and the true cause of auroras have been established. This also gives rise to the anticipation of its occurrence based on the sunspot cycle and the earth’s climate with relation to the tilting of its axis.
Also known as Northern Lights, is a natural occuring light display.