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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
National
RFI

Spectacular northern lights observed in France

France Europe Slovakia Ukraine
Northern lights illuminate the sky over Hornbaek Beach in Sealand, Denmark on 27 February, 2023. In the Far North, countries can record up to several hundred aurora borealis per year. (Illustration photo) © AFP - Mads Claus Rasmussen

Northern lights were observed in several locations across a large part of southern France on Sunday evening, as well as in Europe, from Slovakia to Ukraine.

Many observers described pink streaks in the sky and some of them even took photos of the atmospheric light phenomenon, notably in the Alpes-Maritimes, the Alps and in central France.

The northern lights were also observed in northern France in February and April.

Solar flares

This phenomenon can be explained by "the arrival [last night] of a wave of solar particles", causing a "geomagnetic storm", according to Pierre Henriquet, who popularises science on X.

An aurora borealis appears when jets of hot, magnetic particles generated by solar flares reach the Earth's environment.

"These charged particles will excite the particles in the atmosphere, in particular oxygen and nitrogen, which will give the green and pink colours respectively" of an aurora borealis, Éric Lagadec, an astronomer at the Côte d'Azur Observatory, explained to French news agency AFP.

Aurora borealis are rarer at lower latitudes, such as France, where they can be observed every ten years or so, provided the solar flare is strong enough and pointing in the right direction.

Usually, this spectacle is observed within the Arctic circle, particularly in the Far North where countries can record up to several hundred per year.

(with newswires)

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