– It’s almost hard to believe. It’s wonderful to experience this in western Norway!
That’s what Eva Kristin Holmøyvik Starheim says, one of many who streamed to balconies and gardens to catch the unusually strong northern lights in southern Norway.
– There is now a very strong solar wind towards Earth, which is due to the strong blow from the Sun that hit us a few hours ago today. There are strong northern lights across the country, says researcher at the Tromsø Geophysical Laboratory, University of Tromsø, Njål Gulbrandsen.
The researcher himself sees little of the northern lights, he is in Svalbard and rarely sees the northern lights on the horizon to the south.
The northern lights from Tromsø and the south are especially strong this evening.
Mette Garnes Holtekølen took this photo of the Northern Lights at Herøy Kard in Sunnmøre.
Robert Alan Mold was also taking pictures of the northern lights this evening. He lives in Haksbykta, Kursk.
Mette Karnes Holdekjolen says he has never seen the pink northern lights before.
– Firecrackers can only go to bed
Mette Garnes Holtekjølen was walking on Herøy farm in Sunnmøre when she suddenly saw a pink line in the sky.
– I thought wow, I’ve never seen pink northern lights before, she says.
A picture was taken on her phone, but she says she spent time standing and enjoying the play of colors in the sky.
– It was absolutely fantastic. I’ve never seen anything like it. He says I am very happy with crackers but after this they can go to bed
It shines in the quiet villages of Jølster on the Sunfjord
Photo: Torje Bjellaas / NRK
A taste that we treasure
The researcher says there is more aurora activity now than there has been in the last twenty years.
– The Sun has an 11 year cycle and we are now approaching the peak of activity. It’s going to be a great winter, and there are plenty of northern lights.
But the entire country will not experience the northern lights this evening, as parts of Norway are expected to have cloudy weather, according to the Met Office.
– It is western Norway, especially northwestern Norway, with clear weather. Then there are some patches in northern Norway, but otherwise it’s mostly cloud cover, says meteorologist Gunnar Knorr.
The sky did a disco over Sunnfjord this evening.
Photo: Torje Bjellaas / NRK
There may be hope in the coming days
According to experts, strong northern lights are expected tomorrow and possibly Thursday.
– The northern lights will become so powerful that they can even be seen in Germany, Noir says.
Unusually strong colors for being so far south in Norway.
Photo: Torje Bjellaas / NRK
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