Solar flare stokes unexpected northern lights show in Northern Ireland

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Northern lights on Sunday above the village of Ersfjordbotn in northern Norway. (Martial Trezzini / Associated Press)

By Mary Forgione
Los Angeles Times Daily Travel & Deal blogger
February 18, 2011, 5:15 a.m.


Thanks to a powerful solar flare, the northern lights are on tour -- sort of. Locals and lucky travelers in Northern Ireland this week have seen the dazzling ribbons of color usually reserved for higher lattitudes.

The reason? Particles from the solar flare that have started to rain down on Earth also have made the lights, a.k.a. the aurora borealis, visible to more people. (The magnetic showers expected to last to midday Friday also have the potential to down power grids and interrupt communications, according to this National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration update.)

The British Geological Survey's website reported that "already one CME arrived on the 14th sparking Valentine's Day displays of the northern lights (aurora borealis) further south than usual."


The BBC offers this lyrical description: "At a time of year when many evenings shed about as much light as an evasive spin doctor, the aurora borealis has been casting its spectacular celestial glow over large parts of the countryside."

more

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-northern-lights-20110218,0,2882577.story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12487551

[Blue_In_AK]

1. They were predicting good displays here, too,

but unfortunately we got a low pressure system, and it's been snowing.