The Northern Lights, the ethereal spectacle of swirling color caused by charged solar particles interacting with the Earth's magnetic field, was visible across swathes of the U.K. on Sunday night thanks to a "lucky combination" of conditions in the lower atmosphere and space, said the Met Office.
"Once in a while, the solar winds are enhanced to levels stronger than normal, with particles at higher speeds," said the Met's space weather adviser Amanda Townsend in a statement. "And on this occasion it has connected really well with the Earth's magnetic field."
Brits took to social media to share images of the illuminated sky.
@EpicCosmos Aurora overhead Bae Seren B&B,Durness this evening at 8pm. pic.twitter.com/zRS27yugLz
— Andy Walker (@awalker703) March 6, 2016
Walked 1 minute from our house in #Newcastle to see if I could spot the Northern Lights... @liamdutton @VirtualAstro pic.twitter.com/GlxsBFE6QV
— Tom White (@tomwhite7) March 6, 2016
#NorthernLights #AuroraBorealis #aberdeenshire #NEScotland pic.twitter.com/CG1oGG8OSB
— Rachel Medich (@RachAM) March 6, 2016
Final shot of the aurora. The sky finally cleared but the display was fading by then. Jeez it was cold in the field! pic.twitter.com/411OIAdvHN
— Mark McIntyre (@markmac99) March 7, 2016
Those who missed the Aurora Borealis this time might have to wait a while for the next display. "The strongest part of the geomagnetic storm has passed and it probably won't be as strong on Monday night," Townsend added. "So the main places to see aurora will be in north Scotland."
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