Remarkably, this year has brought sightings of the aurora borealis over parts of Spain. It is not a frequent phenomenon in the country, since such displays are typically observed in far northern regions. To glimpse this natural light show, one usually travels to Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden or Canada. Yet, just a few days ago, on the night of Sunday, November 5, observers in Spain, especially in Cáceres, captured photographs of the aurora by an amateur photographer from the region.
The northern lights occur when energetic particles emitted by the Sun reach Earth under the influence of the solar wind. In the outer layers of the atmosphere, these particles collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, creating brilliant luminous curtains in a range of colors that appear in photographs or documentaries, and in rare cases are visible from the ground.
Formation of auroras on Earth – agencies
Exceptionally intense solar activity
Auroras have appeared at latitudes lower than usual this year, including in Spain and neighboring countries such as France and Italy. The Sun is displaying unusually high activity, with large flares and numerous sunspots oscillating at elevated levels compared to normal periods.
Experts note that this situation stems from a coronal mass ejection from the Sun, a vast eruption that occurred a few days prior. Particles from this solar eruption traveled through the inner solar system and interacted with Earth’s magnetosphere, triggering these striking northern lights.
Northern Lights in Iceland – agencies
Although the Sun remains active, it is part of an 11-year cycle characterized by alternating peaks and lulls, and right now the Sun is in a phase of heightened activity during one of its more dynamic periods.
Another aurora from Extremadura on April 23
An aurora has already been observed and photographed this year in several Spanish regions, including Málaga, Almería and Extremadura. One image, taken by an Extremaduran photographer, was celebrated as Astronomical Image of the Day by NASA. Furthermore, in Extremadura another photographer, Javier Caldera, captured another celestial display that surprised him on Sunday, November 5, while exploring the countryside in the province of Cáceres. Reports on X (formerly Twitter) mention that the aurora can also be seen in Portugal and in other parts of Spain such as Galicia, Navarra or Barcelona.
Northern lights seen from Cáceres, Extremadura (Lat. +40°)‼️
Image dated 11/05/2023 21:57 (19:57 UTC) pic.twitter.com/QVXKK0je5Q
— Javier Caldera (@javicalderaa) 6 November 2023
These displays are not the extraordinarily intense auroras found in northern countries or in urban areas with severe light pollution, but they still demonstrate that solar activity during these months is noticeable—an occurrence that Spain has witnessed as well.
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