The Northern Lights, also known as auroras, are a natural light display usually observed around the North and South Poles.

They occur when charged particles from the Sun, known as solar wind, collide with Earth’s magnetic field and interact with gases in the upper atmosphere, creating colorful lights.

Normally, these auroras are seen near the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and the Antarctic Circle in the Southern Hemisphere, where geomagnetic activity is strongest.

However, due to recent solar flares, the solar wind intensified, resulting in increased geomagnetic activity. This boost pushed the auroras further south than usual, making them visible over Poland and creating an extraordinary display of green, purple, and pink lights across the Polish sky.

Ciężko w to uwierzyć, ale nad całą Polską widać aktualnie fioletową zorzę i przelatujące meteory 🔥💪

Takie warunki jak dziś to absolutna rzadkość i jednorożec. Jeśli macie możliwość skierujcie telefony na północ ✨️👀 pic.twitter.com/7FNgkqMMHE

— Michal Sadowski (@sadek) August 12, 2024

The interplay of these two phenomena was captured in stunning photos shared widely across the web, as enthusiastic skygazers ventured into the darkness away from city lights to witness these extraordinary celestial events.

Co za noc nad Polską! Przepiękna zorza i spadające gwiazdy.

Takiego astronomicznego combo jeszcze nie widziałem. pic.twitter.com/CtSyRYBrm9

— Przemysław Słowik (@Slowik_pl) August 12, 2024

In addition to this spectacular display, skywatchers can look forward to another highlight this week: a rare conjunction of Mars and Jupiter on Wednesday. The two planets will appear exceptionally close to each other from Earth’s perspective, a sight that won’t occur again until 2033.