Northern Lights captured over the Channel Islands

2 hours ago

Courtney SargentChannel Islands

News image — St Ouens glowed red overnight as islanders were treated to the Northern Lights

MONSTERCURRYMAN/BBC WEATHER WATCHERS white cottage with a blue door. the sky is red and green due to the Northern Lights — St Ouens glowed red overnight as islanders were treated to the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights have put on a show in the skies over the Channel Islands.

The natural phenomenon, known as the Aurora Borealis, is the result of solar eruptions sending particles towards the Earth and interacting with particles in the atmosphere.

According to the Jersey Meteorological Section, it happens when electrically charged particles are emitted from the sun in large bursts, called a solar flare or coronal mass ejection (CME).

Matthew Winter, senior forecaster at Jersey Met, said the islands had seen the lights more frequently in recent years as the sun is in its "solar maximum" period when it is most active.

Martyn Torode A beach with green sand that is a reflection of what is in the sky. There are also reds and purples in the sky as well due to the Northern Lights — Guernsey's coastline reflected the green hues of the Northern Lights

Winter said: "There have been more sunspots and therefore a greater chance of CME events occurring and facing the earth.

"In fact this last solar maximum has been a particularly active periods with lots of sunspots observed.

"Over the course of the next 5-6 years we will be gradually approaching the solar minimum with much more reduced activity, so we should make the most of it whilst we still can."

MATTHEW MUTTOCK The Silhouette of Gronez Castle in the red Northern Lights — The silhouette of Gronez Castle in the Northern Lights

JASON MASTERMAN Green northern lights on top of a castle with a beach in the background — Green hues were spotted over Gorey Castle

CLAIRE ADAM Green and red northern lights over the skies — Guernsey saw a variety of colours in the skies over night

ROBERT HALL Ruins of a castle with the northern lights in the background. The stars are also very visible in the sky — A close up of Gronez Castle shows the different colours seen in the Northern Lights

MATTHEW MUTTOCK Cloudy skies overt the edge of a cliff path. With red lights creeping through. — Red hues of the Northern Lights peaking through at Gronez

3TSMUM/BBC WEATHER WATCHERS Green streak of Northern Lights over a house in Trinity — Trinity was treated to the reds purple and greens of the Northern Lights

STEVIE PHE Light house with Northern lights in the backgrond, they are red and yellowy green — Alderney's light house wasn't the only thing lighting up the sky

JODIE SEABROOK Red and greeny yellow northern lights over Alderney — Alderney's skies shone red with the Northern Lights

WINTER B/BBC WEATHER WATCHERS A gentle red and green light over the skies of St Helier, the builidings are in the foreground — Jersey is the furthest south the Northern Lights have been seen in the British Isles

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