From Orkney in the north to Dumfries and Galloway in the south, a spectacular display of the aurora borealis was seen overnight in several regions of Scotland.
The Aurora is a natural phenomenon brought on by solar geomagnetic storms. It can appear as shimmering light beams that "dance," BBC News reported. It is due to the polar phenomenon, which causes light waves and patterns to sweep across the sky.
Those who live near the Arctic Circle are generally the only ones who get to see the spectacular show. The aurora australis is most likely to be seen by those near the Antarctic.
TOPSHOT - Northern lights (aurora borealis) illuminate the sky over Torsfjorden near Reine, on Lofoten Islands, Arctic Circle, on September 8, 2017.
Geomagnetic Storm Causes Stunning Northern Lights on Scotland Sky
A moderate-strength geomagnetic storm happened on Sunday, and numerous individuals turned to Twitter to share photographs of the northern lights that appeared as a result.
"First time ever seeing the northern lights. In Maryhill, Glasgow as well," Danny wrote on Twitter.
First time ever seeing the northern lights ❤️🙏
— Danny Taylor (@Archaeowegian) March 14, 2022
In Maryhill, Glasgow as well. pic.twitter.com/6369YgTqfK
Danny, a student at the University of Glasgow (per Glasglow Live), captured the Aurora in the city's northwestern reaches. His post has received a lot of positive feedback online.
"A little bit of magic to end the week," another Twitter netizen said who took photos of the auroras from Scotland.
Some Northern Lights over school last night - another reason why the schools location on the Moray Firth is so brilliant! A little bit of magic to end the week 🙏 pic.twitter.com/lKtc5Y12rb
— Gordonstoun (@gordonstoun) March 14, 2022
Auroras are usually only observed in the polar areas. To put it another way, the further north you go, the more likely you are to see the northern lights. However, auroras can migrate closer to the equator during geomagnetic storms.
The geomagnetic storm of the weekend happened on Sunday. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) classified it as a G2-level storm, warning that it might cause power grid irregularities, HF radio interference at high latitudes, and increased drag on satellites in low-Earth orbit.
Sun As Source of Auroras
According to scientists (per The Independent), the sun is the source of auroras.
The gases around the sun get hotter during periods of heightened solar activity. Solar wind is a stream of electrically charged particles - mostly electrons and protons - that are blown out from the sun.
The Earth is directly in the path of the solar wind, but the planet is protected by its magnetic field, which deflects the particles.
However, some particles pass past the force field and smash with the atmosphere, exciting oxygen and nitrogen atoms, resulting in the mesmerizing dancing beams of light.
Measuring Solar Storms
Certain solar storms are more powerful than others, Newsweek said. The G scale, which quantifies the power of geomagnetic storms, ranges from small G1 storms to devastating G5 storms.
G5 storms may knock out electricity grids, create difficulty connecting with satellites, cause radio outages that last days, and produce auroras as far south as Florida and southern Texas in the United States.
On Sunday, the SWPC predicted that geomagnetic storms would last until Tuesday, but by then, they would have reduced to G1.
The solar cycle is when the sun's energy increases and decreases. Each cycle is around 11 years long. The last one peaked in 2020. Therefore, the sun is presently through a period of increased energy. According to SWPC statistics, this era is expected to peak around 2025 before dwindling again.
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