This week at Ballymena Today our throwback Thursday goes all the way back to last year – New years Eve. Any keen photographers will have known that last Thursday night was a brilliant opportunity to catch the Northern Lights, otherwise known as the Aurora Borealis, near some Northern Irish landmarks.

Throwback Thursday - Northern Irish Northern Lights

The Dark Hedges in County Antrim. Photo by Steve Martin.

What is it?

The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun’s atmosphere. Variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding.(Source

Throwback Thursday – Northern Irish Northern Lights

Here are some photographs which were shared on Facebook by BBC weatherman Barra Best.

Throwback Thursday - Northern Irish Northern Lights

From Mussenden Temple in County Derry. Photo by Eoin McConnell

 

Throwback Thursday - Northern Irish Northern Lights

From Ballykelly in Derry. Photo by Lee Morrow

 

Throwback Thursday - Northern Irish Northern Lights

Ballintoy in County Antrim. Photo by Denise Wilkinson

Wow what an amazing sight. Well done to all who braved the elements to go out and capture these beautiful photographs. Let us know if you saw the Northern lights from where you are.