Aurora borealis hunters enjoyed a strong show over Donegal last night, as clear skies and crisp weather created excellent viewing conditions.
The northern lights were visible across Ulster and other parts of the country overnight.
Pillars of green and red were picked up by delighted photographers.
Northern Lights in Malin Head. Photo: Hugh Farren
Chances of the aurora returning tonight are low, according to the UK Met Office: “Aurora may be visible in the far north of the UK and similar latitudes into early 04 March GMT, but should gradually subside towards background levels. No further enhancements are currently expected.”
The dancing lights only appear when geomagnetic storms occur, creating Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) effects.
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 northerly coastline pristine ‘dark skies’.
