What is an Aurora and why can we see it in Worthing?

For the last few months we have been truly blessed to be able to see the phenomenon that is the Northern Lights in Worthing, Steyning, Lancing, Goring-by-Sea and the surrounding areas. 

What Are the Northern Lights?

The Aurora Borealis—also known as the Northern Lights—appear as mystical, glowing curtains stretching across the night sky. As the name suggests, they are visible only in the Northern Hemisphere, while their southern counterpart, the Aurora Australis, can be seen near the South Pole.

What Causes the Northern Lights?

The Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that acts like a protective shield, deflecting space particles and debris—think of it like an apple wrapped in cling film. One of the things the magnetic field protects us from is the stream of charged particles, including blobs of plasma ejected by the Sun.

These particles are released by the Sun during nuclear reactions on its surface and travel through space at speeds up to 45 million miles per hour. When these solar winds collide with Earth's upper atmosphere, they interact with the planet’s magnetic field and are redirected toward the poles.

Each type of particle emits a different colour when it interacts with Earth’s atmospheric particles. For example, oxygen glows green, while nitrogen produces a red hue. When these energized particles collide with others already trapped in Earth's magnetic field, they light up, creating the spectacular aurora display.

Why Are We Seeing the Northern Lights More Often?

Typically, the Northern Lights are a phenomenon visible in regions like Iceland, Scandinavia, Canada, and Alaska. However, this year, a much broader area of the Northern Hemisphere has been treated to this dazzling light show.

According to Jo Farrow, a forecaster at Netweather, the increased frequency of auroras is due to our proximity to a solar maximum—a phase in the Sun’s 11-year cycle when solar activity peaks. During this time, the Sun is especially "active," with more sunspots appearing on its surface.

Sunspots, similar to pimples on the Sun, can release bursts of energy in the form of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These eruptions send radiation and particles flying through space. When these particles reach Earth, they cause geomagnetic storms, also known as solar storms.

For instance, a CME from the Sun reached Earth recently, triggering a “severe” geomagnetic storm, according to the UK Met Office. In times of solar maximum, the Sun releases more CMEs and solar flares, leading to more energetic particles that can reach Earth, causing brighter auroras.

Why Are the Northern Lights Visible in Worthing?

Generally, the further you are from the poles, the less likely you are to see the Northern Lights. However, during solar storms, the auroras can extend further south than usual.

Jim N R Dale, founder of the British Weather Services, explains that solar flare ejections from the Sun can be enormous, and when they occur, they send particles across vast distances. This is why even southern areas, like parts of the UK, can experience the aurora displays during these events, which is quite rare.

In short, when solar storms are particularly intense, the Northern Lights can stretch far beyond their typical boundaries, offering a rare and stunning light show for people in more southern regions such as Worthing, Lancing, Steyning, Goring-by-Sea and Storrington.