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Discovered 1994 Jan. 16 by E. W. Elst and C. Pollas at Caussols.
Kristian Olaf Birkeland (1867-1917) was a Norwegian scientist who elucidated the nature of the aurora borealis. He constructed an electromagnetic device enabling him to simulate the light of the polar aurora by directing a beam of cathode rays (electrons) on a sphere in a vacuum tank.
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