Unusual Aurora over Scotland | Earth Science

Unusual Aurora over Scotland | Earth Science

Photographer Alan C. Tough: "When I was photographing the great aurora of January 19-20, a faint green homogeneous patch (blob) appeared to the left of the main auroral display: it suddenly brightened, just like someone switching on a spotlight. After a few seconds it faded away again. It is possible that this was an Isolated Proton Aurora (IPA), although I had always assumed these were a fainter and more diffuse phenomenon."

Also known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras.

Learn more about auroras: 
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. To the south-east Scotland has its only land border that is 96 miles (154 km) long and shared with England. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and south, the North Sea to the north-east and east, and the Irish Sea to the west.

Image Credit: Alan C. Tough
Location: Elgin, Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)

Alan Tough's website: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7776810@N07/
Release Date: Jan. 19, 2026

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