Northern Lights Appear Over Ireland: Rare Aurora Borealis Sighting

The Northern Lights have been visible in parts of Ireland this evening, including Dublin, Cork and Kildare, and could be widely visible in other parts of the country in the coming days. The Northern Lights, which are rarely sighted in Ireland, are the results of “collisions between gas particles in our atmosphere and charged particles ejected from the Sun’s atmosphere”, according to Met Éireann. Cloud cover can hinder visibility, although Met Éireann forecasts that there will be clear spells. The colour of the Northern Lights will change due to the type of gas particles that are colliding, Met Éireann said. “Oxygen molecules at approximately 100km above the earth produce a greenish-yellow colour, while a red aurora can be seen when high level oxygen molecules are involved”. “Blue or purple auroras indicate the presence of nitrogen molecules.” The best places to see the Northern Lights in Ireland are locations with very small amounts of light pollution, the forecaster said, adding that parts of the west and north coast would offer the best chance of seeing the display. The UK Met Office said the lights were also likely to be seen across Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England, and potentially further south, though visibility “will depend on the timing of its arrival and cloud cover”.