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    Who named the Northern Lights "Aurora Borealis" and why?

    Question #58916. Asked by UT-7. (Aug 20 05 2:13 PM)


    TabbyTom

    		According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term was first used by Pierre Gassendi about 1621.

    The words mean "northern dawn," and in its simplest form the aurora produces an effect something like a sunrise on the northern horizon.

    Aug 20 05, 2:25 PM
    JoshCaleb12

    		Aurora was the Roman goddess of dawn.

    Aug 20 05, 2:54 PM
    athena6557

    		Aurora was the Roman goddess of the dawn and Boreas was her son, the north wind, so I'm thinking it translates "the dawn of the north (wind"


    Aug 20 05, 4:34 PM

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