The Northern Lights – an Aberdeenshire speciality!
23 December 2024
Don’t you love it when everything comes to together in a surprising, but utterly memorable way?
That’s how it was when I had my first serious glimpse of the Northern Lights.
I was doing a stargazing talk when an app on my phone went berserk.
Not only had the chances of seeing an aurora rocketed, but by luck I was in a very dark place on a moonless clear night.
Sure enough an hour later one of the greatest spectacles of Mother Nature duly arrived.
Light columns shot up and went directly over my head.
The sky was a kaleidoscope of greens and reds, almost bright enough to reflect off a frosty ground.
My camera clicked away, giving me a permanent reminder of how good life can be!
We are truly blessed in Aberdeenshire as such light shows are far more frequent than points further south.
In fact we could hardly be in a better position, with our dark skies and northerly location.
Plus we are also going through a vintage period.
Image Credit: Richard Darn
Let me explain.
The Northern Lights are caused by energetic particles from the sun being blown in our direction and interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field.
That’s happening more often at the moment because the sun is near the peak of its activity in an eleven year solar cycle, hence we are seeing more displays.
So what’s the trick to spotting them? If there’s a major storm brewing you can expect the media to flag it up. A free smartphone app like Aurora Watch UK is also indispensable. It will ping you a red or amber alert if there’s a chance of a naked eye show.
At that point wrap up warm and find a location with a good view north. The coast is a great place. Displays often start with the sky brightening before the intensity notches up and we see the colours. You’ll want to take a picture and your smartphone will do a good job. Use a mini tripod if you have one and a two second delay on the shutter button and hey presto, there’s your keepsake!
Just a parting thought. The Vikings were also in awe of the Northern Lights. But their explanation didn’t involve magnetic fields. For them we were witnessing light being reflected off the armour of the Valkyries, female figures who guided the souls of fallen warriors to Valhalla!
It’s a tale that perfectly captures the other worldly nature of an Aurora.
If your exploring the regions illuminating skies this winter make sure to tag us in your experiences. Tag @VisitABDN or use our hashtags #NorthernNights, #VisitABDN or #BeautifulABDN for the chance to be featured on our social channels!