Northern Lights dazzle skies over Cork following powerful solar storm
Did you see it?
Residents across Cork city were treated to a rare and spectacular celestial display on Monday night as the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) lit up the skies after dark.
Sightings of shimmering green and purple hues were reported from the city and surrounding areas, with many locals capturing photos and sharing them online.
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As Met Éireann explained, the spectacular display is the result of “collisions between gas particles in our atmosphere and charged particles ejected from the Sun’s atmosphere.”
The lights, which are more commonly seen much further north, were visible thanks to unusually strong solar activity. Meteorologists noted that clear spells in the weather in some regions helped skywatchers catch glimpses of the phenomenon, also enjoyed in Dublin and Kildare.
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For many in Cork it was a rare treat, with amateur photographers and stargazers alike stepping outside to witness the natural spectacle.
