Northern lights

A friend's little one refers to them as 'night rainbows'.

Just imagine what ancient people made of this when it is obvious enough for you to see it with the naked eye.

I think it's beautiful- but don't want to have to view it through a camera really.

I stopped making a. point of looking out for them when I realised that the pictures people posted on Facebook could only be seen via a camera. So I’m quite confused as what can actually be seen via the naked eye.

We missed them as too many street lights where we were and too cloudy when we got home, but this was posted locally. South Hampshire.

I dont care what anyone says I think its a spectacular natural display, something i never thought id get to see from my window. Beats fireworks any day 🤣

Here it is Spell check thinks it knows best.

Well I never hear it is when posted. This is West Wickham, Kent.

Got a message on local what’s app about 10 last night with a photo. Went outside and couldn’t see much until I looked through the camera lens on my iPhone. There it all was. I have just put the photo on the photo file but can’t send anything.Must be doing something wrong.

What do you mean keepingquiet when you say they've "become a bit of a cliché?
I thought they were, by nature, original.

my view faces south so I never see them! Can't be bothered to drive somewhere...they've become a bit of a cliche to be fair.

Just found this:

Does radiation issue from the Northern Lights, even at trace levels, enough to reach the surface of the Earth? If so, what kind of radiation is it?

Northern Lights appear when high energy particles from the sun collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, causing them to emit light. This light (like all other light) is a form of electromagnetic radiation, which reaches the Earth along with radio waves, which are a different kind of electromagnetic radiation. X-ray radiation has also been detected from these collisions, but they are absorbed by lower parts of the Earth‘s atmosphere and do not reach the surface.

So yes, when we see Northern Lights it is because radiation is being emitted, otherwise we would not be able to see them (light is radiation). And no, the Northern Lights themselves are no source of radiation but a manifestation of what is happening all the time (the sun emits energy). So the Northern Lights you see emit no radiation, but are themselves electromagnetic radiation emitted by collision between highly energetic solar particles and our atmosphere.
Kjartan Guðnason and Benóný Þór Björnsson, specialists at the Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority.

karmalady,
I thought it wasn't a big deal as they are just a manifestation, not the actual radiation?

We are so surrounded by trees we would need to get into the car and drive several miles to see them.

I’m glad lots of you saw them, I just took a peek out of my spare room window on the way to bed and there it was. Some lovely shots thanks for posting them.

RosiesMaw2

karmalady

I do not like these at all, a massive solar explosion, ejecting a monster amount of radiation into earth. Strong enough to penetrate the earths magnetic shield. Dangerous, with consequences

Really?

I’m just sick of everybody seeing them except me!

I found this

The lights are caused by the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and charged particles from the sun's atmosphere that enter the earth's atmosphere. A solar flare (energetic particles from the sun) floats through space on the solar wind, eventually penetrating the Earth's magnetic field.

It must be more magical for them to just appear, rather than going to try and see them somewhere.

My son sent a snap of the display visible from his house last week. I saw them in our night sky last month so there is no need to travel to see them. Something I wanted to do years ago now they are ever present in our sky view.

About half past midnight, here in Cornwall, the sky was pink. It didn't show up on phone camera. We don't have much of a view to the North. Nearby there is a large hill with lots of carparks but all sorts of strange things go on up there at night so I didn't venture out.

I'm really cross!!

They're the one thing that's on my bucket list that I've not done before.

Most of the others, I've done, and wouldnt mind having another go at.

This is in Colchester with the streetlights on.

There’s???

They’re (of course)

Me too Maw.
I think there’s just amazing.

In Southend ours were red. At first we thought it was a fire.
Then we turned around and it was behind the bungalow as well. So excited I forgot to take pics.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202410/medium-597458-c02e5a2b-28e6-4ed4-816b-ca0b92d19e4b.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202410/medium-901058-6681a613-1e73-4d3d-a2f1-552d5bff26eb.jpeg

My grandson just sent these to me, taken last night from their garden at midnight in Sheffield.

Ooh I'm really desperate to see them, and I was awake all night, too!!!