Spectacular pictures of the Northern Lights from across Tyrone

FRIDAY night was one for the history books as the stunning Northern Lights clearly illuminated the skies of Tyrone in what has been described as the ‘strongest solar storm in decades’.

The ‘Aurora Borealis’ was visible to the naked eye dancing in skies across the North and South of Ireland as well as Europe for a number of hours, beginning at around 11pm.

Hundreds of spell-bound ‘Herald readers took to our ‘We Are Tyrone’ Facebook page to share their own magical photos of the purple and green spectacle as the night unfolded, with many describing the dazzling display as a ‘once in a lifetime’ sight.

Catherine Conway, a photographer from Plumbridge with an interest in astrophysics, described the views of the Aurora Borealis as ‘unbelievable’.

Speaking with the Tyrone Herald, she said, “I stepped outside at about 11pm, and it was just beautiful.

“I took up photography about eight years ago as a hobby. I have photographed the Northern Lights before, but, I have to say, Friday night’s display was one of the most spectacular sights I have ever seen.

“I couldn’t believe it. The colours were magnificent.”

Friday’s celestial showcase was classified as a ‘G5 Extreme Solar Storm’ by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It was the first time a G5 storm had been recorded since October 2003.

The celestial phenomenon originates some 93,000,000 miles away on the surface of the Sun with a explosion of electromagnetic matter called a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME).

CMEs throw a stream of electronically-charged solar particles, known as ‘solar wind’, into the vastness of space.

It is when these particles are directed towards the Earth that we can see the Northern or Southern Lights three or four nights later.

Whilst there was hope that the Northern Lights would make a second appearance over Irish skies on Saturday night, the weather, unfortunately, had other plans.