Author Topic: Flashing lights over Ceredigion? (Read 2742 times)

waterbuffalofarmer · « **on:** October 01, 2016, 08:00:20 pm »

In was wondering whether this has happened to anyone on hear at all? The past 2 nights when I have been walking to or from the house I have been casually looking at the stars in the night sky and I have noticed, on 2 occasions now, that a sudden bright light flickers a certain part of the sky for a second or two and then vanishes and doesn't do it again until the next night. Dad noticed this too when bringing the buff down for milking and then I noticed it when walking towards the house, for me it was frightening as it lit up the whole sky in front of me and at first I thought it was lightening, then last night I looked over towards Aberaeron and it did it again for a couple of secs and then went. I must admit to being baffled, has anyone got any ideas at all? I haven't ever seen this before. Its not the northern lights am sure of it, could it be atmospheric at all?

Backinwellies · « **Reply #1 on:** October 01, 2016, 09:10:48 pm »

How do you know it's not northern lights? They were visible in Wales the last couple of days.

mab · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2016, 09:52:37 pm »

I haven't see the northern lights here - have them been visible down here?

If the flashes you saw were whitish I'd suspect lightning at a distance - you can sometimes see the flashes reflecting off other clouds over long distances and you don't hear any thunder; and last night there were some storms in the area intense enough the throw the odd bolt.

If they were coloured I'd suspect the north lights - though I'm not sure they flash.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2016, 10:27:14 pm »

The Aurora have been visible across the U.K. for the last several nights.

We have too much light pollution here to see them properly, but the 'sky looks funny'. And sometimes does strange flashes that aren't lightening, aren't aircraft, aren't chaff-dropping military planes, aren't meteors....

I'd say you've seen the Northerm Lights, wbf!

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #4 on:** October 01, 2016, 10:49:50 pm »

Thanks for that guys

would the northern lights do a white flash lighting up a certain part of the sky for a few seconds though? It was a clearish night, virtually no cloud cover... I thought it was lightening but no sounds or anything. The first time it blinded me for a few seconds, not a nice experience at all

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2016, 11:17:35 pm »

As far as I'm aware, the Northern Lights are coloured. They certainly were when I saw them and they lasted more than a few seconds. Lightning at a distance seems more likely.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #6 on:** October 02, 2016, 12:22:37 am »

Quote from: waterbuffalofarmer on October 01, 2016, 10:49:50 pm

Thanks for that guys would the northern lights do a white flash lighting up a certain part of the sky for a few seconds though? It was a clearish night, virtually no cloud cover... I thought it was lightening but no sounds or anything. The first time it blinded me for a few seconds, not a nice experience at all

Oh, well that does sound more like lightening. But I think the aurora can do flashes too. Whether they're always coloured I don't know.

DavidandCollette · « **Reply #7 on:** October 02, 2016, 07:14:31 pm »

Aliens?

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #8 on:** October 02, 2016, 09:40:58 pm »

Love your thinking [member=27141]DavidandCollette[/member]

I googled it and apparently it has been happening in Liverpool too and all over the UK this year.

Black Sheep · « **Reply #9 on:** October 02, 2016, 09:52:39 pm »

The Northern Lights are coloured, although the colours are less visible to the naked eye than you see in photos - because much of the wavelength of the various colours lies outside the visible spectrum. The main colour is green and this is generally how you see them with your eyes but there are reds, blues, yellows and others.

They don't "flash" as such but you do get fluctuations in the intensity. Also, how far south they are visible depends on how strong the stream of particles from the sun is and some other factors, which also fluctuate. So I imagine that at the southern limit these fluctuations, which would temporarily change the range, could mean some areas get a short burst and so appear like flashes.

Here are some gratuitous pictures from Finland last year