The celestial spectacle known as the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, illuminated the Friday night sky with rare appearances observed all over the country. The phenomenon was observed in locations such as Dublin, Connemara, Kerry, Leitrim, Donegal, Kildare, Wicklow, and Carlow.
The stunning light display was not limited to these places, it could also be sighted across other parts of Europe including the United Kingdom and Germany. Its visibility extended even beyond, reaching as far as Alabama and Southern California in the USA.
These luminescent performances take place when charged particles interact with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere near the magnetic poles. In the northern hemisphere, the majority of these incidents occur within a belt known as the aurora oval, which comprises latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees.
When the activities intensify, the aurora oval expands to encompass larger regions. This is why the spectacular Northern Lights are occasionally sighted in locations as remote as Ireland.
As per the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a remarkable geomagnetic storm led to amplified visibility of the Northern Lights on this particular Friday. NOAA classified the storm as a G5, categorising it as extreme. This level of storm, the most powerful there is, struck the Earth on Thursday and is capable of disrupting communications, GPS, and power grids.
The extraordinary storm was induced by an immense and complex cluster of sunspots, boasting a diameter 17 times that of Earth. The last G5 storm hit Earth in October 2003, triggering power failures in Sweden.
The stunning display of the Northern Lights over the Irish landscapes triggered a wave of excitement on social media, with awe-inspiring photos being shared extensively. Some additional reports were provided by PA.