Northern lights make rare visit to welsh skies
THIS was the incredible sight above the Brecon Beacons as the Northern Lights made a rare appearance over South Wales.
Nature’s dazzling Aurora Borealis danced above parts of the UK in the early hours of yesterday morning after a solar flare brought perfect viewing conditions.
The phenomenon, caused by electrically charged particles from the sun, can usually not been seen so far south.
Keen photographer Karl McCarthy headed out to the Brecon Beacons in the early hours of yesterday morning when apps on his phone alerted him of a possible aurora.
He said: “The photograph was taken at 2.06am.
“It looked amazing and was so good to see them this far south, but it is not the first time I have seen them in the Brecon Beacons.
“I also captured the Northern Lights in 2018.”
The lights were captured in other parts of the UK, which images also having been taken overnight in the Lake District.
And even those living as far south as Devon were also treated to a glimpse of the breathtaking display.
Meteorologists had predicted the Northern Lights could be visible across the UK this week due to a geomagnetic storm.
Areas in complete darkness with no light pollution and low to zero cloud offer the best opportunities for a glance.
It also helps if you are in a remote location, particularly on north-facing coasts.
The Northern Lights are most active during the Equinox and Solstice in March/April and September/ October, according to the Met Office.
Heading out at between 7pm and 2am is recommended, but any time in the late evening should give you a glimpse of the glow.
The stunning sight is the second unusual phenomenon to have hit South Wales’ skies over the past week.
The solar flare which is thought to have improved visibility of the aurora in southern parts of the UK was also linked, by some, to a flash in the sky seen on Halloween.
On Sunday, a flash of light was seen above parts of South Wales at around the same time as the country was hit by widespread power outages.
Dashcam footage captured the intense blue flash above Newport at around 6pm on Sunday – as children went trick or treating – shortly before a power cut hit thousands of homes across South Wales.
The phenomenon led some to speculate that it may have been a solar flare that in turn led to the power outage, but Western Power Distribution said the power fault was due to a National Grid issue.
Thousands were affected by the power outage from Cardiff to Carmarthenshire, as well as parts of Bristol and the south-west of England, prompting an investigation by Western Power Distribution.
Last week, astronomers warned of a powerful sun storm, known as an X1-class solar flare.
These are intense types of solar flares, which are powerful bursts of radiation coming from the sun.
Nasa has said solar flares can cause intense flashes which they said may have been visible during Halloween.