France: new northern lights expected at the start of the week

Definitely, we are spoiled, in 2024! Just a few months after their last passage in France, new northern lights could be visible in France by ; only a few hours, if the conditions are right. Here's what we know.

a new solar storm

This is a phenomenon that we rarely have the opportunity to observe in our part of the world, but which is re ;puté for its beauty : the northern lights.In March 2024, a solar storm projected a large quantity of solar particles heading towards Earth, manifesting as auroras in the night sky. More recently, specialists estimated that the northern lights would light up our skies at the end of May, but the phenomenon remained limited. shy.

This time, on the other hand, there is a good chance that the northern (or “polar”) lights could be observed from France at the start of the week, probably on the night of Monday to Friday. Tuesday. As several scientists explain, our star experienced a“massive solar flare”this weekend,once again projecting significant quantities of solar particles.

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This long-lasting solar flare ;e has issued a quantity of large number of solar particles in interplanetary space. pic.twitter.com/ODzhCoMSJ8

June 8, 2024

how to observe the northern lights in France?

If the northern lights should be observed in the night sky in France, not everyone will be unfortunately not concerned. According to Fabrizio Bucella, physicist and professor at university from Brussels, the geomagnetic storm would have to be of category G3 (strong), for the auroras to be observable.On ; high latitude”.

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Geomagnetic storms can reach a G5 level, considered as “extreme”. If we are far from it, polar auroras still have a good chance of appearing in the northern hemisphere. If this is the case, you will have to take advantage of it: the phenomenon is particularly rare at high altitudes. this latitude!