Solar Flare may bring about astronomical fireworks display

The magical northern lights may be visible from Denmark this weekend when earth is bombarded with highly charged particles released from the sun in a specatactular solar flare last Tuesday.
Otherwise known as the aurora borealis, the lights occur at the earth’s poles and are caused by high-energy matter from the sun interacting with the earth’s magnetic shield, the magnetosphere.
While the magnetosphere usually provides earth with sufficient protection from the dangerous solar radiation constantly bombarding earth, solar flares can eject so much material that it can be overwhelmed, damaging satellites and electricity substations on earth.

Thankfully the bulk of the energetic particles, carried by the solar wind at 400 kilometres a second, are expected to miss earth, though enough will strike the earth’s magnetosphere to cause an increased light show visible much further from the poles than normal.

The sun’s eleven year cycle of activity should reach a peak in 2012 and 2013 making these flares more common and bringing with them the hope of more spectacular displays while also posing the increased threat of damage to electrical installations on earth.

The lights may be already visible in the northern sky and could last over the weekend. The north of the city, away from sources of light pollution, would be your best bet at seeing anything, though cloud and rain forecast this weekend is more likely to spoil the show.