The Northern lights revealed.

NASA reseaechers have found the cause for the northern lights while trying to understand the magnetic field and charged particles of the sun. Storms on the sun normally generate colorful light shows, but in quieter times events known as sub-storms can make the shows. Sub-storms have a tendency to generate a one-two million amp current, the equivalent of a 5-6 magnitude earthquake. For thirty years, scientists believed the disruption of charged particles was responsible. Others believed it was a snapping of magnetic field lines farther out. The snapping of magnetic fields occurred first, followed by a burst of auroras. Surprisingly, the disruption in the charged particle current occurred after the aurora.

Things such as this really take a toll on scientists as it chalenges the old beliefes and causes them to search for new answers which may not be easy.

reference:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/science/space/25aurora.html?ref=magnetsandmagnetism.