Aurora visible over Culloden, Scotland
Michael Carver/Getty Images
Earlier this week, the northern hemisphere saw the Northern Lights, or Northern Lights, creating a brighter-than-usual scene further south. The flickering glow of green, purple, and red across the night sky, created by particles from the sun, is a sight to behold. But don’t worry if you miss it. There’s still a chance to see it.
Auroras tend to get brighter when the sun becomes more active. Recent observations of sunspots, an indicator of the sun’s activity level, show a dramatic increase since this time last year, bringing it closer to the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, expected in 2024 or 2025. It’s coming. This means that in the coming years, and in the coming months in the northern hemisphere, the aurora borealis could be stronger than they have been in at least the last decade.
What is the Northern Lights?
Auroras are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles traveling from the sun’s outer layers, or the corona. Explosions of solar wind, called solar flares, collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, which acts like a shield around the Earth and deflects most of the particles. But at their weakest points, near the poles, some particles penetrate into the upper atmosphere, where they collide with gas molecules and become excited, or energized. When these molecules lose energy again, they emit photons of light. That’s what creates the aurora.
The type of molecule excited and the altitude of the collision determine the color of each aurora. The most common are pale yellow and green colors that come from oxygen molecules about 120 to 180 kilometers above the Earth. Less common are the red aurora, which originates from oxygen at about 200 km above the ground, and the red-purple aurora, which originates from nitrogen less than 100 km above the ground.
Where can you see the aurora borealis?
The stronger the solar flare, the further south the aurora will be visible. It takes about a day for the particles to reach Earth, so he can predict the strength of the aurora a day in advance. Keep an eye on weather forecasts and aurora prediction apps.
When is the best time to see the Northern Lights?
If the solar wind is active, the aurora can be seen soon after dark. However, activity levels can change rapidly, so it’s best to stay tuned to live reports of solar activity.
There are websites and organizations that monitor the sun and provide weather forecasts for the next day and even for the week. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration siteFor example, it provides observations for the past three days and a 30-minute forecast of solar activity. These are measured using the planet’s K index (Kp value) on a scale of 0 to 9. The higher the value, the higher the activity.
For example, a Kp value of 8 is typically required to see light with the naked eye in central England. The free app AuroraWatch UK also has a 30-minute aurora forecast, and you can even set up email alerts to check if you’re ready for the celestial light show.
How can I see the Northern Lights?
Go to a dark place as far away from light pollution as possible. Northern lights are more likely to be seen in rural areas than in cities, but they can also be seen in urban areas if the lights are bright enough.
If you don’t know where to go, find a dark spot and look towards the northern horizon. After that, you need to wait until your eyes get used to it. However, don’t expect amazingly bright colors like you see in the photos. When viewed with the naked eye, the aurora borealis are very delicate, so it may be difficult to spot them for the first time.
If you have a camera with a digital display, you can confirm that you are seeing the aurora borealis by looking through the display. Auroras can appear very green to the camera, even though they appear greenish-white to the eye. Also pay attention to the weather forecast, as you won’t be able to see anything under cloudy skies.
How to take a photo of the display
Most smartphone cameras can capture the green hues of the aurora borealis, and the reds and purples when there are aurora borealis. If you have a digital camera and tripod, try a long exposure by setting the shutter speed to a few seconds.
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