KEEP AN eye on the skies...
One of the world's most magical phenomenons will be visible everywhere in Ireland tonight, as Aurora Borealis is set to shine across the sky.
Also known as the Northern Lights, the name usually brings to the mind's eye a rainbow of greens and purples-- but tonight's spectacle might not be exactly what you're expecting.
David Moore of Astronomy Ireland spoke to RTE Radio One yesterday where he told listeners to keep en eye out for a white lights in the sky, rather than the famous greens and purples.
Aurora Borealis "You see the colours in photographs but to the naked eye, unless it's a very strong display, you usually only see a greyish and whitish colour in the sky," he explained.
He added, "colour cameras are good at picking that up, but unless it's a major display its usually more of a whitish colour."
"This is not a huge storm that's expected," he continued. "We never really know the intensity, so you might only be looking at a small glow on the northern horizon.
"We'll be seeing it from hundreds of kilometres away unless it moves very far south-- which has happened in the past, so we can only hope for that-- but look for a glow in the north."
But if you're not in County Donegal, Ireland's northernmost county, don't despair, as Mr Moore said because Ireland is such a small country, even people in the south like Cork and Kerry should be able to see the lights.
"The only advantage people on the North coast have is they're looking over the Atlantic ocean so there won't be any artificial lights in the distance that could trick you," he explained.
Tonight, Tuesday 29 September is predicted to be the best time to see the lights in the sky, but due to a bright moon and some cloud covering, it may not be visible everywhere-- but Mr Moore reassured people, saying the lights were visible last night and could be visible for the rest of the week.
"Don't just look tomorrow night, keep checking the sky," he advised.
See More: Aurora Borealis, Ireland, Northern Lights, Steamed Hams
