Photos by Stephen Morris, words by Jonathan White
Sky watchers in Cheshire were treated to a rare display of the Northern Lights earlier this week.
The spectacle came about on Thursday night (23rd March 2023) into Friday morning, due to a geomagnetic storm on the surface of the Sun.
Aurora (a natural light display) is increasing at the moment, as the Sun approaches the most active part of its 11-year cycle in 2025.
Charged particles enter our atmosphere and interact with oxygen and nitrogen.
The result is a display of hues of red, green and gold dancing in the night sky.
With the tilt of the Earth in relation to the Sun positioned at right angles during the equinox, the magnetic field is stronger, meaning there’s a more vibrant aurora.
These photos were taken by Stephen Morris from his house in Crewe at around 11pm on the Thursday.
He uses the Glendale App to provide real-time tracking of geomagnetic substorms.
The displays were also visible across large parts of the UK, from Wales to Yorkshire and as far south as Cornwall.
