For the second time in a week, the Northern Lights (nordlyset) have been seen by residents of many places in southern Norway as well. State meteorologists say the phenomenon spotted Monday night may well repeat itself during Tuesday night.
“We can’t rule out that the Northern Lights will be visible again tonight,” John Smits of the state meteorological institute told Norwegian Broadcasting on Tuesday. “There’s been a lot of activity on several nights after the autumn darkness returned.”
Called nordlyset in Norwegian, the phenomenon also known as aurora borealis was spotted from Kristiansand in the far south to Saltnes on the coast of Østfold, south of Oslo, and Våler farther inland. Solar storms in recent years have led to spectacular displays in the nighttime skies, as green and other coloured waves of light dance over the horizon, set off by particles hurled off the sun at enormous speed. The particles then collide with gases in the earth’s atmosphere and catch fire.
It’s become a common sight in Northern Norway but remains seldom in the southern parts of the country. Smits predicted clear skies Tuesday night and reasonable chances of sightings: “You just need to look towards the north and be patient.”
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
