News aurora borealisnorthern lightsuk news

Northern Lights Illuminate Skies For Flight Passengers Over UK (PICTURES)

Flight Passengers Enjoy Celestial Northern Lights Show (PICTURES)
Sara C Nelson
|

Plane passengers were treated to a natural light show on Sunday night in the form of the majestic Aurora Borealis.

The stunning colours were visible from a specially-charted British Airways flight from Gatwick to just off the coast of the Shetland Isles.

It was chartered by Aerobility, a charity which gives disabled people the opportunity to enjoy the exhilaration of flying, the Herald Scotland writes.

BBC The Sky At Night presenters Pete Lawrence, John Culshaw and Dr Paul Abel were also on board.

The lights, which are caused by collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun bombarding the earth’s atmosphere, appeared in the UK last Thursday too (pictures below), in waves of red, yellow, blue and violet.

The Northern Lights above the UK
(01 of12)
Open Image Modal
The aurora borealis, or the northern lights as they are commonly known, at St. Mary's Lighthouse and Visitor Centre, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. (credit:PA)
(02 of12)
Open Image Modal
The Aurora Borealis is visible over the Victorian Pier in Saltburn by the Sea in Cleveland, England, Britain (credit:Rex Features)
(03 of12)
Open Image Modal
The Aurora borealis is seen over St. Mary's Lighthouse in Whitely Bay, England, Britain27 Feb 2014 (credit:Rex Features)
(04 of12)
Open Image Modal
Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) as seen from the Ayr coastline (credit:Rex Features)
(05 of12)
Open Image Modal
Northern lights, Sycamore Gap, Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland, Britain (credit:Rex Features)
(06 of12)
Open Image Modal
The Aurora Borealis is visible over the Victorian Pier in Saltburn by the Sea in Cleveland, England, Britain (credit:Rex Features)
(07 of12)
Open Image Modal
Astronaut Mike Hopkins aboard the International Space Station tweeted this image of the aurora in the Southern Hemisphere earlier this evening, saying the "southern lights were absolutely stunning tonight!" On the #ISS on Thursday, more CubeSats were deployed, while the crew prepped for the arrival of a cargo craft and the departure of three cremates. Image credit: NASA #southernlights #aurora #earth #nasa #iss #exp38 #space #auroraaustralis #spacestation #station
(08 of12)
Open Image Modal
Taken in Fochabers, Scotland by Reuben Cameron
(09 of12)
Open Image Modal
Taken in Fochabers, Scotland by Reuben Cameron
(10 of12)
Open Image Modal
The aurora borealis, or the northern lights as they are commonly known, at St. Mary's Lighthouse and Visitor Centre, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. (credit:PA)
(11 of12)
Open Image Modal
Photo taken on 27/02/14 of aurora borealis, or the northern lights as they are commonly known at Embleton Bay in Northumberland. (credit:PA)
(12 of12)
Open Image Modal
Photo taken on 27/02/14 of aurora borealis, or the northern lights as they are commonly known at Embleton Bay in Northumberland. (credit:PA)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip