Lucky photographers catch glimpse of elusive aurora in Cumbria

Lucky photographers in Warwick Bridge and at Derwentwater were able to take a snap of the stunning natural phenomenon as it made a rare appearance in Cumbria.

The aurora borealis, or aurora, are a natural electrical phenomenon characterised by the appearance of streams of red or green lights in the sky, especially near the northern or southern magnetic pole.

The natural phenomenon is rarely seen in Cumbria (Image: Alan Graham)The effect is caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with atoms in the upper atmosphere.

Typically, the northern lights are only visible in more northern locations, with countries Canada, Iceland, Greenland and Norway regularly getting site of the aurora borealis, but the lights are occasionally seen in Cumbria with dark skies and little or no light pollution.

News and Star camera club member, Alan Graham managed to grab some incredible photographs of the aurora at Derwentwater, saying that it was “well worth the trip out to Derwentwater” after he saw alerts to say that the conditions were right to see the northern lights and fellow camera club member, Stuart Curtis also saw the lights in slightly more urban, Warwick Bridge.

The northern lights in Warwick Bridge (Image: Stuart Curtis)BBC weather forecaster, Simon King, said: “Sightings are likely to become more regular as we approach the peak in solar activity in 2025.

“Throughout the summer, the window of opportunity therefore is perhaps only a few hours at most when it is very dark.

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“Now we're into autumn and the nights are getting longer, we've had our first widespread spotting of the Northern Lights.

“Seeing it in north-east England and Cumbria isn't too uncommon but for it to occur so vividly this early on in the autumn is less likely.”

The northern lights have already been spotted in 2023 across Cumbria with Whitehaven and Maryport both seeing the lights.