Stunning Aurora display lights up Donegal night sky

Featured photo by Proinsias Carr @pcarr2000

The Northern Lights were back in all their glory over the northwest last night, much to the delight of local photographers.

Donegal skywatchers got a treat as the dancing Aurora Borealis shimmered in green and red pillars and were visible from all corners of the county.

The dancing lights only appear when geomagnetic storms occur.

Geomagnetic storms are disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field that can result in many hours of vibrant auroras both at high latitudes and low latitudes.

While scientists cannot predict precisely when a storm will occur, it is possible to predict when a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) or high speed solar wind stream will sweep past Earth’s magnetic field, creating the conditions that cause geomagnetic storms.

Donegal is a hotspot for the spectacular, thanks to its pristine ‘dark skies’.