Photos: magical Northern Lights images from across France September 12
The phenomenon was visible as far south as Alsace thanks to a busy period of solar flares
In May 2024 the Northern Lights were visible as far south as Montpellier (pictured in La Rochelle)
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The Northern Lights were visible in France during the night of September 12-13 thanks to a busy period of solar flares. The phenomenon is usually reserved for skies in the far north but was photographed as far south as Alsace.
Aurora borealis typically goes together with polar weather in places like Iceland, Norway, Canada, Alaska and Greenland at altitudes between 60 and 75 degrees.
However, on September 12 - along with a wave of unseasonably cold, polar weather - the Northern Lights were visible in France and the UK.
The cold snap is not related to the Lights, according to France’s public science body CNRS.
“For several months now, the Sun has been undergoing a period of intense activity, manifested in the multiplication of solar flares on its surface, with a direct consequence for our planet: particularly intense magnetic storms, of which aurora borealis is the most visible and wonderful symptom.”
For people who had wrapped themselves up in winter clothes, the sky across the north of France offered a remarkable display from 21:00 to midnight:
This is the second time this year that the Northern Lights have been visible in France. On May 10, the Lights were visible as far south as Montpellier, Hérault.
Read more: PHOTOS: Northern Lights stun in skies across southern France
People who missed the latest display can take heart: the solar flares that cause aurora borealis will reach their peak in 2025 as the sun ends its regular 11-year activity cycle, which means there should be more to come.
