The aurora had a beautiful red color. It was captured by an istotne.pl editor thanks to a message from reader Kinga. The aurora, although usually visible in the far north, can also be seen at lower latitudes in favorable atmospheric conditions, which is what happened tonight.
What are the northern lights?
The northern lights are a luminous phenomenon that appears in the upper layers of the atmosphere, usually around Earth's magnetic poles. They form when particles of the solar wind, consisting mainly of protons and electrons, collide with atoms and molecules in Earth's atmosphere. These collisions cause light to be emitted, taking on various colors, from green and pink to purple.
The aurora is most often visible in polar regions—in the Northern Hemisphere it is called aurora borealis, or the northern lights, while in the Southern Hemisphere it is called aurora australis, or the southern lights. However, from time to time, during periods of intense solar activity, the aurora can be visible much farther south.
A spectacle in the Polish sky
Tonight's aurora over Bolesławiec was relatively subtle, but for those lucky enough to see it, it was an unforgettable sight. The night sky, cleared after a full day of clouds, revealed subtle red streaks of light spreading across the northern horizon. Although auroras are not a frequent phenomenon in Poland, heightened solar activity made it possible to admire this unusual spectacle today.
The northern lights always inspire amazement and admiration, reminding us of the incredible phenomena nature can offer. For the residents of Bolesławiec, it was a night full of magic, when for a moment they could feel as though they were in the far north, beneath a luminous polar sky.