All but than the last two paragraphs are filler, and the penultimate one is common knowledge. Only the last one matters:

So, when the sun sets and night arrives, our eyes lean more heavily on the rods and it is why colours don’t pop the same way as they do during the day time. In low light, the website explains, our eyes prioritise motion detection and shape recognition so you are able to navigate more easily - and this is why auroras often appear invisible to the naked eye.

Oh well, I thought there was an overwhelmingly strong near-IR component but that would appear pink in the camera, not red or green.

By the way: if you can only see a dim star in your peripheral vision, blame the high concentration of cone cells in the eye’s yellow spot (visual field centre).