Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The Northern Lights have been putting on a stunning show in the night skies across the UK, with images being captured from as far north as Scotland to as far south as Kent and East Anglia. The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, were initially thought to only be visible as far south as the Midlands, according to the Met Office. However, people have been able to capture the breathtaking phenomenon with a long exposure camera as it is not always visible with the naked eye.
People have been taking to social media, such as BBC Weather Watchers, as well as submitting their photos to readers and viewers alike. The UK has seen more Northern Lights this year than in recent years. Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere near the magnetic poles. As they collide, light is emitted at different wavelengths, creating the stunning colours in the sky.
Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said that increased sightings in the UK are due to the Sun being at the peak of an 11-year “solar cycle”. However, he also mentioned that it would still be possible to see the Northern Lights in the UK once the Sun passed its peak. It’s just that stargazers should expect a “gradual decline” in the visibility of the auroras. Geomagnetic storms, which originate from Sun activity, influence the auroras the most, and they are mainly visible over high polar latitudes.
The Northern Lights have been particularly visible this year due to the biggest geomagnetic storm since 2003. Sean Elvidge, a professor in space environment at the University of Birmingham, confirmed this. A solar storm caused by a powerful flare from the Sun which arrived in our atmosphere on Thursday evening caused the stunning lights. Craig Snell, a weather forecaster at the Met Office, said the strength of the lights would come and go throughout the evening, but the lights may be captured at different times throughout the night
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.