updated yesterday 09:38
People could observe the clearly visible aurora borealis in many places in the Czech Republic on the night from Friday to Saturday. Residents of Prague and Brno also had a remarkable view. It was even more intense outside the big cities, such as near Jalubí in the Uherskohradišť region. Fascinating images of the light phenomenon can be viewed in the Deník gallery. Observing the so-called aurora borealis should also be possible on Saturday night, but according to the weather forecast, clouds may limit visibility.
Click to enlarge 45 photos in the gallery ›
Aurora over the Jalub mill | Photo: courtesy of Ondřej Horehleda
On the night from Friday, May 10 to Saturday, May 11, people all over the Czech Republic could see a bright red aurora over the northern horizon, and even with greenish curtains. The best visibility started from 11 p.m.
Czech Hydrometeorological Institute stated, that the May aurora borealis was the strongest since 2003. Thanks to this, residents of Prague, Brno, Děčín and other large cities were able to see it, despite the light pollution. But people outside the villages had the clearest view. Photos from Jalubí in Uherskohradišťsk, Mariánské Lázně, or Trojanovice pod Javorník are proof. Images of the celestial phenomenon flooded social networks. You can also look at shots from various places in the Czech Republic in the gallery of the article.
Aurora Borealis it should be possible to observe from Saturday to Sunday. The conditions should be ideal again, because Moon it’s new. However, there may be clouds in the sky that will limit visibility. Although it is possible to observe the phenomenon with the eyes, scientists recommend at least using a camera for easier observation.
The aurora borealis can also be watched via the camera of the Brno observatory:
Source: Youtube
“We have the best view between two hours around midnight,” Jiří Dušek, director of the Brno Observatory and Planetarium, told Deník. He added that for observation it is advisable to be somewhere away from artificial lighting, with a good view of the northern horizon.
Warning of navigation breakdowns
The clearly visible aurora borealis was made possible by a geomagnetic storm that reached its peak on Friday. The storm was caused by a solar flare.
In addition to the aurora borealis, it is also possible to observe a spot on the Sun:
At the weekend, it is possible to see the northern lights again in the Czech Republic. And also a spot on the Sun
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned of possible outages in the satellite navigation system or electricity distribution. A similarly powerful storm in 2003 saw problems with electrical distribution networks and transformers in Sweden and South Africa.
