The Aurora Borealis have stunned residents this year in the region, with dazzling light displays being visible in County Durham, Teesside, Tyneside and Northumberland.
Increasing numbers of displays have been spotted, with more of the country able to take in the spectacular sights.
‘Once in a decade display’ could appear in North East:
Aurora Borealis sightings have increased in recent years and the explanation is well known in the science community, according to the Met Office.
Krista Hammond, a Manager at the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC), said: “Activity on the sun, and in particular the number of visible sunspots, varies over roughly an 11-year period, known as the solar cycle.”
The last solar minimum, which is when the Sun had the lowest frequency of visible sunspots in the solar cycle, occurred in December 2019.
This means that the sun’s activity is currently increasing, with the next solar maximum expected around 2025.
As a result, more of the Sun’s electrically charged particles are travelling towards the Earth and getting caught in its magnetic field, thus producing more of the aurora effect.
Krista added: “Over the coming years, as we continue towards the solar maximum, we can expect to see an increase in the frequency of space weather events, with more chances to see the Aurora Borealis over the UK.”
The most recent sightings of the Northern Lights in the North East
People in County Durham marked New Year’s by seeing the Northern Lights.
People in Weardale, Consett and near Bishop Auckland saw the stunning sight, while others in Northumberland and North Yorkshire also spotted the natural phenomenon, also known as aurora borealis, as they celebrated the new year.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge told the PA news agency: “Although the solar conditions were set fair to see the northern lights, unfortunately, the meteorological conditions are not that helpful.
The auroras, which are most commonly seen over high polar latitudes but can spread south, are chiefly influenced by geomagnetic storms which originate from activity on the Sun.
The sun works on a cycle of about 11 years called the solar cycle – with peak sunspot activity on the surface of the Sun referred to as solar maximum.
Sunspots give the potential for Earth-directed releases of large bursts of energy, called coronal mass ejections, which can lead to aurora visibility.
Auroral displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles.
As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.
Take a look above at the best photos of The Northern Lights in County Durham.
What causes the Northern Lights?
The Royal Museums Greenwich explained: “Solar storms on our star’s surface give out huge clouds of electrically charged particles. These particles can travel millions of miles, and some may eventually collide with the Earth.
“Most of these particles are deflected away, but some become captured in the Earth’s magnetic field, accelerating down towards the north and south poles into the atmosphere. This is why aurora activity is concentrated at the magnetic poles.”
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Royal Observatory astronomer, Tom Kerss added: “These particles then slam into atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere and essentially heat them up.
“We call this physical process ‘excitation’, but it’s very much like heating a gas and making it glow.”
Can I see the Northern Lights in the UK?
The Royal Museums Greenwich said: “The aurora borealis can be seen in the northern hemisphere, while the aurora australis is found in the southern hemisphere.
“While the best places to see the aurora are concentrated around the polar regions, the aurora borealis can sometimes be seen in the UK.
“The further north you are the more likely you are to see the display – but heightened solar activity has meant that the northern lights have been seen as far south as Cornwall and Brighton.
“The conditions do still need to be right however. Dark and clear nights, preferably with little light pollution, offer the best chance of seeing the aurora.”