The Moon, Stars, and Aurora Borealis Over Earth

oooooh... aaaaahhh...

I don't understand aurora Borealis's much, so why is there that speck of green that seems to be floating off in space?

All I know is it has something to do with the Sun and the atmosphere and ions and stuff. :)

That speck of green IS the aurora borealis. The blue/white field below it is the Earth's atmosphere, illuminated by a few rays of sunlight. The black area below that is the Earth. Here's a link to the Wikipedia entry on polar auroras: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_%28astronomy%29 The article gives a detailed description of what they are, along with other cool photographs and a diagram. Basically, auroras form much the way that a fluorescent tube lights up: energy passes through a layer of ionized gas, causing... (This is usually where most students start tuning out. Just look at the pretty lights and marvel at the wonders of the Cosmos!)