The United Kingdom witnessed a rare phenomenon as far as Oxfordshire on Sunday, 26 February- the northern lights. Also known as aurora borealis, the stunning aerial display was captured by astrophotographer Mary McIntyre. A video of the scene shows the sky lit up in various shades of pink and the stars glittering as the lights appear. The video has grabbed much attention online. The video was shared by Now This News with the caption, “In a very rare display, the northern lights were visible in southern England on Sunday night. Astrophotographer Mary McIntyre captured the display as pink hues lit up the night sky.” Watch the clip here:
In a very rare display, the northern lights were visible in southern England on Sunday night. Astrophotographer Mary McIntyre captured the display as pink hues lit up the night sky. pic.twitter.com/1vu13DT6u0
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) February 28, 2023
This is not the only image of the northern lights that has gone viral in the past few days. Paul Botten was travelling from Norway to the United Kingdom on Thursday but his flight was delayed. Bound on a later flight, he could click photos of the northern lights from inside the plane, using just his iPhone. “Blizzards All Day in Tromso means a missed Connection. Popped through the clouds south of Tromso and Bam. Leave me alone Aurora”, Betton wrote while sharing the stunning images. The photos show green lights swirling alongside the wing of the airplane. In the background, the sky is lit up in a dark blue hue. Take a look:
Blizzards All Day in Tromso means a missed Connection. Popped through the clouds south of Tromso and Bam. Leave me alone Aurora 🤣🇳🇴 @chunder10 pic.twitter.com/AUHIcwJQty
— Paul Botten (@StatoStorm) February 23, 2023
According to the UK Meteorological Office, the northern nights were visible in the county due to “ongoing coronal hole fast wind and coronal mass ejection effects which are currently creating minor to moderate geomagnetic storms, thus increasing the intensity of the Aurora.” View the Met Office’s tweet here:
Hi Karon - Ongoing coronal hole fast wind and coronal mass ejection effects are currently creating minor to moderate geomagnetic storms, thus increasing the intensity of the Aurora. Last night was also clear for many, increasing the chance of viewing this event. Thanks ^Luke.
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 27, 2023
The northern lights are caused by molecules and atoms in the atmosphere colliding with particles from the Sun, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich. The wavy patterns of the lights occur due to the lines of force in the planet’s magnetic field. As for the different colours of the lights, those are caused by different gases. Green denotes oxygen, while purple, blue or pink lights are caused by the presence of nitrogen. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.