Northern Lights in Spain
A month ago, Spain witnessed a rare phenomenon: northern lights. This natural spectacle lit up the sky due to a sunspot that caused solar storms. These storms emitted flares, giving rise to the northern lights.
According to the Canadian Space Agency, "They occur when charged particles (electrons and protons) collide with gases in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Those collisions produce tiny flashes that fill the sky with colorful light. As billions of flashes occur in sequence, the auroras appear to move or 'dance' in the sky."
Spain: A New Scenario for the Northern Lights
Although these phenomena are more common in Nordic countries such as Norway, Iceland, Finland, Canada or Greenland, Spain seems to be in luck and will welcome this atmospheric phenomenon again.
Prediction of the National Solar Observatory
The solar physicist of the National Solar Observatory (NSO), Ryan French, has already predicted that in June we would enjoy northern lights again in Spain, because the sunspot "will align with our planet, and when it begins to appear, we will enter the window of opportunity for solar flares."
When Will You Be Able to See the Northern Lights
The northern lights will be visible throughout this week, specifically from this Thursday. Experts warn that there is no specific day to observe them, since this phenomenon occurs when the sun sends, in addition to heat and light, a lot of energy and small particles to the Earth. These particles, when colliding with the gases of the atmosphere, generate flashes of colors in the sky.
Although it is expected that the auroras will be seen throughout these days, there is no absolute certainty that they will be appreciated in a solid way, nor in which areas they will be seen more. Normally, they are usually more appreciated in places with less light pollution, such as natural spaces, forests or beaches. For this reason, the northern lights of May could be captured perfectly in Andalusia or the Canary Islands.
Solar Activity and Frequency of Auroras
According to NASA, the sun is reaching its maximum activity in decades, which suggests that it will be increasingly common to see northern lights in Spain, as well as in other places in the world where they were not common. Also, NASA says that this year may have unexpected consequences on this type of phenomenon.