Thanks to one of our members, Jan Wood, for sharing this amazing photograph of the Northern Lights over Oakley Wood. The photo is taken looking NE over the wood. The bright “star” in the bottom right is actually Jupiter.

The Sun is in the middle of its 22-year cycle and sunspot activity is at a maximum. The charged particles produced by these violent solar storms are what causes the aurorae as they collide with the Earth’s magnetic field. It’s really unusual to see Northern Lights this far south, but keep looking as there could be more before this level of activity dies away.

Well done Jan.