---
title: "Aurora"
package: "@phaser-ae/backdrop-aurora"
tier: Free
version: 3.0.0-4
released: 2026-10-14
updated: 2026-10-20
description: "Drifting curtains of coloured light across the upper sky, transparent below, to stack between a sky and the stars for a night that moves."
url: https://phaser.io/packs/backdrop-aurora
site: Phaser - https://phaser.io
---

# Aurora

The northern lights as a backdrop layer: three curtains of light drifting and swaying across the upper sky in two
colours, transparent everywhere else. Put it between a sky and the stars and a night scene comes alive.

## What it does

Each of the three bands follows a wandering height across the screen with a soft glow around it, and its colour sways
between `a` and `b` along its length. The bands live in the top half of the screen and are pinned to it; they do not
follow the camera.

`amount` scales brightness and opacity together, so tweening it up from 0 brings the aurora on slowly, and `speed` sets
how fast the curtains drift and sway. Below and between the bands the layer is transparent, so whatever sits under it
shows through.

## Features

- **Three drifting curtains** — each at its own height, pace and glow.
- **Two colours** — blended along each curtain; green and violet by default.
- **One brightness dial** — `amount` scales light and opacity together, down to invisible at 0.
- **Speed** — how fast the curtains move.
- **Transparent below** — it stacks over a sky or a sunset and under stars.
- **Cheap** — one pass with three bands of light.

## Good for

- **Night scenes** — a winter level, a frozen north, a calm sky over a camp.
- **Magic and arcane moods** — recoloured curtains over a wizard's tower or a fantasy title.
- **Title screens** — faded in by tweening `amount` from 0.
- **Skylines** — a glow over a city or a space station's horizon.

## Make it yours

Two params and two colours. A polar night is `backdrop-sky` in navy, the aurora in its default green and violet, and
`backdrop-stars` on top. An arcane sky is pink and gold curtains at a higher `speed` over a sunset.

## A quick look

An aurora that fades in over four seconds, then turns pink:

```ts
const aurora = game.backdrop.add('aurora', { amount: 0, speed: 1 }, { a: '#37ff9e', b: '#7a5cff' });
await aurora.tween({ amount: 1 }, { duration: 4 });   // a slow dawn of light
aurora.setColor('b', '#ff5cc8');                      // live
```

## Works with

- `backdrops` — the runtime; required.
- `backdrop-sky` or `backdrop-sunset` — beneath it.
- `backdrop-stars` — over it.
- `backdrop-environments` — a complete aurora scene with stars and hills in one pass.

## Good to know

- The bands sit in the top half of the screen and do not follow the camera.
- Opacity follows the green in the result, so a pair of colours with no green is faint: give `a` or `b` some green.
- Three bands, fixed, and no stars of its own.

---

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