Janice R. Andrews
The Northern Lights danced dazzlingly over the skies above portions of Wales on Sunday night, creating a breathtaking show. The tallest hill in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Pen y Fan, is covered in snow, creating a stunning backdrop against which the natural phenomena painted the heavens.
Viewers in Swansea, Powys, Gwynedd, and Flintshire were treated to spectacular displays of the aurora when charged solar particles collided with atmospheric molecules.
Along with twenty-five other enthusiasts, Mark Griffiths, the founder of the Cheshire Northern Light Hunters, set out to photograph the sight from Crewe to Talacre beach in Flintshire. Griffiths described it as an incredible show, saying that it exceeded even his experiences in aurora-rich places like Iceland on Sunday night.
The Aurora Borealis, a scientific marvel, usually brightens the skies in March and September during the Equinox. These celestial treasures are typically seen in Scotland, but Wales was fortunate to experience a rare occurrence of them due to bright skies and mild winds throughout the area.
The lowest nighttime temperatures were recorded in North Wales, where Hawarden, Flintshire, recorded -3°C. When solar particles contact with oxygen in the lower atmosphere, the most frequently observed color, green, is created; interactions with oxygen in the upper atmosphere are indicated by red hues. Blue or purple hues indicate the presence of nitrogen.
Scientists and amateurs alike marveled at the amazing occurrence lighting up the Welsh skies, a sight not commonly seen so far south, as the ethereal display enthralled observers.
