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Vivid auroras light up UK and Europe
Skies across the United Kingdom turned shades of green and pink on Monday evening as the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, became visible far beyond their usual Arctic range.
How the display unfolded
Photographs submitted to the BBC captured the spectacle from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and parts of southwest, southern, eastern, and northern England. The phenomenon was also reported as far south as northern Italy, southern Spain, and the French Riviera.
Experts attribute the widespread visibility to a severe geomagnetic storm triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME)-a burst of charged particles from the sun's surface. As these particles collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere, they produce the characteristic colors: green from oxygen and red, blue, and pink from nitrogen.
Why the aurora stretched so far south
The sun is currently in a phase of heightened activity known as solar maximum, part of its 11-year cycle. During this period, increased sunspots generate more CMEs and solar flares-intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation-leading to more frequent and widespread auroras.
While the storms pose no direct threat to people due to Earth's protective atmosphere, they can disrupt technology such as satellites and power grids.
Viewing conditions for Tuesday night
The aurora's signal is expected to weaken on Tuesday, with visibility unlikely to extend as far south as the previous night. Cloud cover will also obscure skies across much of the UK, though clearer conditions may persist in northern and eastern Scotland and briefly in Northern Ireland early in the evening.
Tips for spotting the aurora
The best views occur under clear skies, with observers advised to look north for a faint glow. If colors aren't immediately visible to the naked eye, photographers suggest using a camera or smartphone to enhance the effect.
