Northern Lights brighten up night sky over parts of Ireland

LAST UPDATE | 27 Feb 2023

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS brightened up the sky over parts of Ireland last night, bringing delight for those who managed to spot it.

The dancing pink and green display, visible from unusually far south, lit up the night sky in pockets of the country where clear conditions lined up with the sight of the geomagnetic activity.

Meteorologist at Met Éireann Liz Walsh outlined that Ireland is currently sitting under an area of high pressure that is bringing mostly settled weather conditions and light to moderate winds.

“The orientation of the high pressure is directing an easterly airflow over our region, which means cloud is likely to be more prominent over eastern parts of the country with clearer skies prevailing further west,” Walsh told The Journal.

“This appears to be what occurred last night. The clearest skies were in the west, allowing a view of the heavens above,” she explained.

“This situation is unlikely to change much over the coming days and nights with the high pressure expected to remain slow-moving and the best chance of clearer skies expected in the western areas.”

People from various corners of the country have shared images on social media of their Northern Lights sightings.

Carlow Weather / Twitter Carlow Weather / Twitter / Twitter

Dr Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust@mstdn.social / Twitter Dr Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust@mstdn.social / Twitter / Twitter

Gerry O'Donnell / Twitter Gerry O'Donnell / Twitter / Twitter

In the UK, the Met Office’s Space Weather unit has outlined that “ongoing coronal hole fast wind and coronal mass ejection effects” are currently creating the type of geomagnetic storms that allow aurora to be visible from north of 52-53 degrees of latitude.

The length of Ireland spans from below the 52nd latitude line to above the 55th.

The UK Met Office said there is a “similar expectation for later on 27 February as another coronal mass ejection arrives and there is a chance of conditions strengthening to G3/Strong geomagnetic storm levels”.

It expects that aurora will be once again possible at similar latitudes, saying that in the UK they could potentially reach as far south as central or southern England if any more persistent storm periods occur – which is around the same area as the southernmost areas of Ireland and the southerly Celtic Sea.

Chair of Astronomy Ireland David Moore has offered his advice for anyone trying to catch a glimpse of the lights from Ireland tonight.

“Look in the north after sunset,” Moore said.

“You should at least see an arc of light low in the north, and if the display picks up as expected this could move much higher in the sky.”