A photo taken by a Bristol Live reader showing a mysterious green glow in the sky over the city has sparked a fierce debate on Facebook as to what could have caused it. Jane Youden, who took the photos in Shirehampton, believes she may have witnessed the Northern Lights, having only recently seen the phenomena while on holiday in Iceland.
On Facebook, Zoë Fidock posted a photo showing a similar site and said: "I saw the same last week from Gloucestershire, in a South Westerly direction - Fri 17 Feb 10 pm", while Craig Jukes said: "Saw this in Calne last night, near Chippenham... And this was seen in Plymouth as well."
Sophi Morgan said: "We [weren't] going mad driving home", and Kelly Fletcher wrote: "I have also seen this and live South Bristol, I thought it was lights from the city ground." There were plenty of other suggestions for large buildings that may have been emitting the light.
Read More: Witnesses say 'Northern Lights' seen over Bristol after sky tinged with green
Teejay Lucky Makaveli said: "That’s from the lighting at Avonmouth," and Chris Chapman offered: "It’s just the glow from Hinckley Point."
Hinkley Point proved a popular proposition. Dennis Martin said: "I've seen the northern lights, and this is not the lights. For a start, the sky is too cloudy, you need clear skies, and the lights occur higher up.
"It appears this green light is being reflected off the clouds from the ground below, and if you look under the light on the horizon, you can see a massive building, possibly Hinckley point."
Other readers had more otherworldly submissions. Irina Locmele said: "Definitely aliens", while Teresa Green said: "According to my 9yr old grandson, it's Heaven."
Some commenters recalled occasions they had witnessed the Northern lights in unlikely locations. Michael Wills wrote: "I watched the Northern Lights in Kingswood, in the early hours, whilst working as a Milkman." Roz De-Layen Vian recalled: "When I was 9 years old, my father took me onto our flat roof extension to see the Northern Lights. That was in London!"
Although sightings of the Aurora Borealis at this latitude are rare, it is possible to witness the stunning natural light show in the UK as far south as Pembrokeshire and Devon. According to BBC Science Focus, the furthest south the Northern Lights has ever been spotted was Honolulu, just 21° north of the equator during the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history in 1859, known as The Carrington Event.
An Aurora forecast from the University of Alaska shows that on Monday in Europe, Auroral activity was high and suggested that weather permitting, highly active displays would be visible overhead from Tromsø, Norway, to as far south as Sundsvall, Sweden, and would be visible low on the horizon from Edinburgh.
The implausibility of the sighting has both perplexed and delighted Ms Youden, who said: "Even in Iceland, it's not guaranteed that you'll see it. But you've got to have a clear sky.
"And we didn't have a clear sky; it was actually really cloudy. And [in Iceland] they take you right down into pitch back, but there was almost light pollution about as well yesterday, and it was really thick dark cloud.
"It's just very weird. It would be nice if someone could verify it or give another explanation."
Bristol Live has approached experts about the likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights so far south and is awaiting a response. If you think you have an explanation or saw something similar, email mary.stone@reachplc.com
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