Notice to Northern Lights lovers. During the night of Sunday March 24 to Monday March 25, 2024, one of them may well appear over France if conditions permit. In Meurthe-et-Moselle, an atrophotographer is being prepared. He tells us why.
“There was a big solar flare last night“, explains Valentin Severin, astrophotographer, based in Audun-le-Roman in Meurthe-et-Moselle.”The Sun ejected many particles towards the Earth. They may arrive the following night, March 24 to 25“
Valentin gets his data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website in the United States, evaluates the perturbations in the Earth’s magnetic field and, because of this, estimates the probability of seeing auroras based on geographic area.
“This is a full halo explosion. And on the NOAA models, we can clearly see that coronal mass is reached between 6pm and midnight.“A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a large cloud of plasma ejected by the Sun during strong flares.
Space weather is not very accurate. So if the conditions are right we can expect the aurora borealis visible in France around 3 or 4 am.
“We are in the period of a full moon which brightens the sky, but there should be few clouds tonight“, tells us Valentin Severin.
Valentin Severin and his friend Thomas Rossi are preparing to go out this evening. They study weather forecasts that indicate clear skies for the moment. They prepare their observation and photography equipment. “We empty the memory card and put the batteries on charge. We are watching the NOAA website to see how things are developing. We prepare the tent. If the Aurora Borealis happens, we don’t want to miss it. The last time I saw it from my window, I missed it in time to go into the field next door.“The two friends will also examine data transmitted by space probes that capture the diversity of particles in space.”This allows us to anticipate the event by about an hour.“
They will also see a network of webcams across Europe that will allow them to watch the dawn descend over France. “Observing the Northern Lights is very complicated. It may come before or after the prediction. You have to know how to get there at the right time.“
Solar activity will intensify in 2024 and 2025. That is the average 11 year cycle observed over the centuries. Typically, the northern lights, a more green color, are reserved for the polar regions. Thanks to this peak of activity, it will be possible, with a little luck, to see the northern lights, orange-red, in France.
