Aurora borealis: Northern lights seen over Irish skies
The northern lights seen in Antrim. Picture: Dympna Magee/Aurora Alerts Ireland/Instagram
Stargazers in parts of Ireland were treated to a rare sight on Saturday night, with the northern lights being seen in the north and west of the country.
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, is a natural light display in Earth’s sky, driven by solar activity and geomagnetic storms interacting with the upper atmosphere.
Social media weather forecaster Alan O'Reilly, better known as Carlow Weather, reported sightings of the northern lights in Mayo, while Aurora Alerts Ireland shared images of the aurora in Donegal and Antrim.
Not often seen in Ireland, the phenomenon creates a stunning array of colours in the night sky.
Met Éireann said the colour of the northern lights changes "due to the type of gas particles that are colliding".
"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."
Earlier this year, people as far south as Cork caught glimpses of the northern lights.
Last year, experts said 2026 will be a peak year for aurora-spotting, as the sun has been in a heightened state of activity as part of its 11-year natural cycle.
Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.
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