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Northern Lights
BY lx8iq
August 19, 2025•
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Northern Lights
Introduction
- During the weekend of 10 to 12 May 2024, especially on Friday 10 May, a spectacular display of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) was visible.
- Social media was flooded with images of pink, green, and purple lights, visible even in locations as far south as Dorset.
- This edition of 'Geography in the News' explores the fascination with these phenomena, their creation, and future visibility.
Historical Fascination
- The Northern Lights have historically been considered magical, connecting our world with others.
- Indigenous polar cultures believe they are spirits of deceased relatives with protective powers.
- Finnish folklore attributes the lights to the 'fire fox,' whose tail creates sparks against mountains.
- Icelandic tales describe the lights as supernatural beings dancing in the sky, and Chinese and European legends link them to dragons.
Cultural Influence
- The auroras have shaped many Northern cultures due to their frequent appearance in those regions.
Causes of the Northern Lights
- Auroras are seen near the North and South Poles, formed by solar activity.
- Charged particles from Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) interact with Earth's atmosphere, creating auroras.
- Energy from the Sun travels at approximately 1.6 million km/hour, interacting with the Earth's magnetic fields.
- The colors of the aurora depend on the atmospheric gases and released wavelengths.
Future Sightings
- The Sun's increased activity during its 11-year solar cycle peak in 2024 may enhance chances of auroras over the UK.
- Factors like the Sun's rotation, differential rotation, and solar magneticity need alignment for significant CMEs.
- Tracking sites like NOAA’s Aurora Forecast and Lancaster University’s Aurora Watch can help anticipate aurora visibility.