Who said you have to be in Scandinavia to see the Northern Lights?

Last night the extremely rare Red Aurora phenomenon gave an unprecedented sight to the residents of Central Macedonia in northern Greece, but also to other Balkan countries, giving them the opportunity to experience the Northern Lights from their homes.

Ο ουρανός της Θεσσαλονίκης με το “Βόρειο Σέλας” από τη Λεπτοκαρυά Πιερίας. pic.twitter.com/ewpXtnA1KG

— Πίθηκος Τάπας (@PithikosTapas) November 5, 2023

The images resemble a huge fire front.

It is an extremely rare phenomenon, which becomes visible for the first time as far south as the Balkans.

Το βόρειο Σέλας έφτασε ως τις Σέρρες pic.twitter.com/og3KVBAkgs

— ✏️Σωτήρης Παπ. ✏️ (@sotpap1997) November 5, 2023

The cause was an extremely strong solar flare which had the effect generating a particularly strong geomagnetic storm that is ongoing over the Northern Hemisphere, as the director of the EMY, Thodoris Kolidas, said in his post.

Aurora has reached Northern Greece! #Auroraborealis pic.twitter.com/0VwrUCwGdH

— Greek Heritage (@greece_heritage) November 5, 2023

Statistically, it is practically and scientifically impossible for the Northern Lights to reach the southernmost latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, as it is generally an event only visible in the Nordic countries, as they are closer to the North Pole.

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Από Σέρρες
Το βορειο Σελας ορατό και στην Ελλάδα λόγο ισχυρής μαγνητικής καταιγίδας!!
#Aurora
Πηγη:Demetris Kastoris

Ορατό και από την Λεπτοκαρυά Πιερίας . #Auroraborealis pic.twitter.com/0qytgkEs6R

— ariana (@ariana712251) November 6, 2023

And yet, for the first time, the Northern Lights became visible in almost the entire Europe, all the way to Greece, thus creating images of unique beauty, but one would also say to a certain extent…eerie.

What is the reason for the red color in the Northern Lights?

The red color of the Northern Lights is due to collisions of lower energy particles with oxygen atoms at high altitudes (240 km), after intense solar activity that causes a huge ejection of solar plasma from the surface of the Sun which is directed towards the Earth.

But when the color of the Northern Lights is green, it is due to the collision of higher energy particles with oxygen atoms at lower altitudes, resulting in the production of photons that emit a green color.