Aurora Dark Skies

The Dark Skies Brecon Beacons has just seen one of the most amazimg displays of the Aurora Dark Skies. It all happened on the evening of the 11th May 2024.

We have been very lucky previously to capture the Aurora over our back fields and to share this with our guests. Now these particylar ones have only been really visible with the aid of a camera or modern mobile phone camera. You normally have to be far further North to see this phenomina with the naked eye.

However on the night in question due to intense sun spot activity the Aurora was visible far further South with the naked eye.

The multiple X flare with CME effect

They are called the Northern Lights because usually you must look to the North. On Friday some people felt like they were right over head or even in the South.

The Aurora Oval, when activity is quiet, is roughly 1,800 miles in diameter and sits around the magnetic pole. When activity is high like on Friday night the oval expands and moves closer to the equator. The view on Friday was like being in Iceland on a good evening. It even allowed you to look up and see the corona. The oval was practically above us.

Add to that a clear sky and small crescent moon the conditions could not have been more favourable.

It is quite possible we will be able to see this again whilst the sun cycle is in a particulary active phase.

The diagram shows where the oval normally sits.