Spectacular displays of the aurora borealis better known as the Northern Lights are unlikely to be repeated tonight, according to a leading Dundee amateur astronomer who specialises in aurora activity.
Vast swathes of Courier country were treated to a mesmerising display of the natural phenomena on Sunday night.
The tremendous light show was visible across Scotland and Northern Ireland, but also spotted as far south as Anglesey and Oxfordshire.
The phenomenon occurs when electrically-charged particles from the Sun enter the Earth’s atmosphere.
Broughty Ferry-based Ken Kennedy, 73, a director at the British Astronomical Association (BAA), said forecasters had predicted a solar storm and good conditions for Aurora Borealis on Sunday.
Green, pink, purple, red and yellow lights were reported for several hours from about 8pm and he himself captured some stunning images from his garden.
But according to his calculations, the chances of a repeat tonight are slim.
“It’s not likely,” the retired Ninewells Hospital haematologist said. “The magnetic field induction between the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field is dropping.
“The aurora can be caused by solar flares. But this activity was caused by a coronal hole.”
Mr Kennedy explained that coronal holes are part of the sun’s corona and are constantly changing and reshaping. Coronal holes generally discharge fast solar wind, which is solar material that the sun spews out into the solar system that is about twice the speed that it normally is.
He added: “The escaping solar wind is known to travel along open magnetic field lines that pass through coronal holes and do not connect back.
“It hit the Earth about 4pm yesterday and there was a kick in the magnetic field of the Earth. I knew something might happen.
“I checked at 7.30pm and there was a pale green homogeneous arc. By 8pm there was another sudden burst of activity. There was another blast around 10pm with purple tops.”
Mr Kennedy, who worked as a part-time astronomer at the Mills Observatory for four years after retiring from Ninewells, said it was the best aurora he had seen since February 27/28 2014.
This tends to be one of the best times of year to see the aurora, he explained.
“Close to the equinox, we can get enhanced activity because of the relative angles of the sun and the Earth.
“The Earth is almost horizontal whilst the sun and its poles are tilted. This allows more of these open fuel lines from the coronal ejections to impact the Earth.
“It was quite a strong one.”