It's one of the world's most famous and spectacular solar phenomena, but those hoping to experience the Northern Lights usually have to travel to remotest Norway to witness their beauty.

The phenomena are caused by the "Solar Wind" - streams of electrically charged sub-atomic particles emitted by the Sun - interacting with molecules in the atmosphere.

These abilities are key to discovering not only killer space rocks but huge Numbers of much more common phenomena, from planet-size bodies in our solar system to far-flung cosmic cataclysms.