The northern lights, or aurora borealis, were visible across Bulgaria for the first time on Sunday, with images of the spectacular display quickly gaining traction on social media.

The shifting red aurora was initially seen in northeastern Bulgaria and later spread across the country, as reported by Meteo Balkans. Reactions to the blood-red sky ranged from descriptions of ‘apocalyptic’ to expressions of awe. The northern lights were also sighted in Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine, with photographs emerging from Poland and Slovakia.

The United Kingdom too witnessed vibrant green and red auroras on Saturday night. Earlier this year, the aurora borealis was observed in India for the first time, in Ladakh, to the delight of scientists and skywatchers.

The aurora borealis, a celestial spectacle that has captivated humans for centuries, typically manifests during geomagnetic storms. These radiant displays are caused by disruptions in Earth’s magnetic field, triggering hours of glowing auroras at both high and low latitudes.

While these northern lights are predominantly seen near Earth’s magnetic poles, where they are known as the aurora australis, they occasionally make appearances in more temperate regions. This phenomenon is a result of the interaction of solar wind particles, which originate from the sun and travel millions of miles to reach Earth. Earth’s magnetic field directs these particles towards the polar regions.

The distinct colours of the auroras are determined by the specific gas molecules these particles encounter in the atmosphere and the location of these interactions. Oxygen emissions produce the characteristic green light, while interactions with nitrogen create a vibrant red glow that lights up the sky.

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