Thank you for sharing these wicked photos of the Northern Lights in the Nicola Valley. On may 10th the skies burst in colours of pink, red, green and purples. Solar particles trapped there interact with various gas molecules, such as nitrogen and oxygen, according to the research corporation's website. Oxygen gives off green and red lights, while nitrogen glows blue and reddish purple. For example, nitrogen gas glows blue at 75 to 110 miles altitude.