The Northern Lights reached Greece: The sky turned red in Central Macedonia (photos)

Author: Newsroom  | Published: November 6, 2023

For the first time, the Northern Lights became visible in almost the entire Europe

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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.

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.

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.

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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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.

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