The colorful Northern Lights, usually rare in the UK, have surprised and delighted people who love watching the sky all over the country.
Excited people shared photos of the beautiful Northern Lights, called aurora borealis, seen all over the UK, even in the south of England. If you missed it, you might get another chance on Saturday night. A big geomagnetic storm hit Earth, making the lights visible. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned about this rare solar storm.
These storms make it more likely for people to see the lights.
Extreme Geomagnetic Storm Raises Concerns
An extreme geomagnetic storm hit on Friday, reaching the highest level, G5. These storms can affect things like satellites and the power grid, warned the NOAA.
The last big G5 storm caused a power outage in Sweden, but this time, there haven’t been any reports of disruptions yet.
Ross Easton, a spokesperson for the Energy Networks Association, mentioned that the energy industry prepares for various events, including those in space. They’re keeping a close eye on space forecasts this weekend.
Prof Carole Haswell, who leads astronomy at the Open University, explained on BBC Radio 4’s Today program that many satellites rely on radio signals. The charged particles during these storms can disrupt these signals, especially GPS, which planes use.
Stunning Northern Lights Illuminate the UK
Clear skies, like those on Friday evening, allowed people to see the Northern Lights from almost everywhere in the UK.
In Thorngumbald, east Yorkshire, Sarah Sharp described the experience as a “dream come true.” She said, “It was truly spectacular, probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We spent about an hour watching them move across the sky.”
The Northern Lights might be visible again on Saturday. Although the geomagnetic storm is expected to be strong, it might not be as extreme as Friday. Weather conditions are predicted to be good, but it needs to be dark, so you may have to wait until at least 22:30 BST.
How Uncommon is it to Witness the Northern Lights?
The last time a really big geomagnetic storm hit Earth was in 2003, so what happened on Friday was unusual. Usually, we mainly see the Northern Lights in the northern parts of the UK. But in the past year or so, there have been more times when people in the south have seen a weak version of the aurora.
This is because we’re getting close to the ‘solar maximum’ in the Sun’s 11-year cycle. During this time, there are more sunspots on the Sun’s surface. Sunspots are like big volcanoes that shoot out charged particles in Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). With more sunspots right now, there’s a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights more often and more strongly.
Also, because we can predict these events better now and most of us have smartphones that can take pictures of the bright lights, there are more sightings than before. But remember, if you want the best chance of seeing them, go somewhere away from city lights where you can see the night sky clearly.
Dazzling Lights Captivate Sky Watchers Globally
In the US, the NOAA mentioned that people could see the lights as far south as Alabama and northern California.
Lots of countries in northern Europe also got to see the amazing lights. Cameras took pictures of bright pink skies in Austria, and a purple glow in Germany. People in Slovakia, Switzerland, Denmark, and Poland, among others, also enjoyed the show.
Even in China, the lights were seen, with fuchsia skies appearing in the north of the country.
What Causes the Sky to Turn Pink?
The Northern Lights, also called aurora borealis, are bright, swirling curtains of light in the night sky. They come in colors like green, pink, and scarlet. These lights happen because particles from the sun hit gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.
