Stunning Fright Night Lights display of Aurora Borealis over Donegal

Ireland’s most northerly point once enjoyed a stunning display of Aurora Borealis in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Clear skies over the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal revealed the trademark green and purple hues associated with the Northern Lights.

The aurora typically forms 80 to 500 km above Earth’s surface and is the result of electrons colliding with the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere.

In its latest geomagnetic storm watch forecast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the northern lights were being pulled further south in the latitudes due to “a coronal hole high-speed stream — winds from a cooler, less dense area on the sun’s surface.”

A live webstream, hosted from Fort Dunree (Buncrana) by Adam Porter Photography on YouTube, captured one of nature‘s most impressive displays between 1.00 a.m. and 2.00 a.m. on Saturday.

Sightings of the aurora are usually confined to regions near the Antarctic and Arctic, but recent increased solar storm activity has resulted in the displays extending into the mid-latitudes.

While Ireland is not known as a prime location for aurora viewing, with the right conditions and location, it is possible to see the Northern Lights, especially during the months of October to April, with the best chances on the west and north coasts due to lower light pollution.

The aurora is most commonly visible between 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM.

As the most northerly point in Ireland, the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal is a prime location for viewing the aurora.

Opportunities to see the Aurora with the naked eye are relatively rare away from northern counties.

Photography experts suggest that people should use a camera with a wide-angle lens, an F-stop or aperture of four or less, and focus set to the furthest possible setting in order to capture the Northern Lights. If using a smartphone, it is recommended to turn on night mode and disable the flash.

One of the most impressive displays in Ireland in recent years, and the strongest geomagnetic storm in the last two decades, occurred in May 2024 when the Northern Lights were visible all over the island. The activity coincided with the latest Solar Maximum.

In its latest geomagnetic storm watch forecast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the northern lights were being pulled further south in the latitudes due to “a coronal hole high-speed stream — winds from a cooler, less dense area on the sun’s surface — and a recent coronal mass ejection” disrupting Earth’s magnetic field.