Northern Lights dazzle stargazers across NI as natural phenomenon brightens night sky

Stargazers have been enjoying a dazzling display of the Northern Lights across the region on Thursday night.

The Met Office had predicted there would be a strong chance of the aurora borealis being visible in Northern Ireland due to increased solar activity.

It means the atmospheric conditions are perfect for the natural phenomenon which produces a stunning lightshow in the night sky.

Residents in Newtownabbey, Ballyclare, Bangor, Portadown and beyond have been sharing pictures of the vibrant display on social media.

The lights, created when charged particles from the sun, known as solar winds, collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere, are normally only visible from polar regions.

Thursday’s spectacle comes within days of a similar display and previous sightings throughout 2024 which recorded more frequent episodes in regions not usually accustomed to lights.

The Met Office said it is likely due to the sun’s “solar cycle”, a natural 11-year span of activity.

The organisations space weather manager, Krista Hammond, explained the process sees the sun goe from solar minimum, where we see very few sunspots, to solar maximum, where we see the most.

“Sunspots are responsible for solar storms, which create the Northern Lights,” she said.

“As it is now, we are at what is expected to be the solar maximum, so we are seeing a lot of sunspots and more frequent auroras.”

More often than not, the brighter lights can only be observed through camera lenses and not with the naked eye.

Although it is possible to see them without a camera.