The pilot rotates an additional ring for the passengers
Since only half of the passengers on a flight from Iceland to the UK see the Northern Lights dancing next to the plane, the Airbus A320 does an extra lap.
A view of the Northern Lights from an EasyJet plane. (February 27, 2023)
Source: Twitter / Adam Groves
EasyJet flight EZY1806 from Reykjavik to Manchester on Monday night brought a magical moment to passengers. They all experienced the natural spectacle of the Northern Lights. Machine Pilot made this possible by looping over the North Atlantic in an Airbus A320.
Also on board was Adam Groves. He filmed the landscape and later thanked the pilot via Twitter for the 360-degree turn, which allowed “all passengers to see the amazing northern lights”.
Seeing the Northern Lights from an airplane requires luck or careful planning. Since the aurora borealis appear only north of the 60th degree of latitude, you must lead the trip through the North Pole. high “dots man“Passengers can see the landscape on some transatlantic flights to the US or Iceland if the plane is in the right place at the right time at night and in winter. Tips for taking pictures from the plane can also be found on the page, so that, for example, a mirror image of a seated neighbor dozing in the window frame does not appear.
The solar wind is the source of the northern lights
Scientifically called the Northern Lights (North) and the Australian Lights (South), the phenomenon of light on the Sun originated. The sun is constantly spewing charged particles such as electrons and protons into the solar system. This stream of particles is called the solar wind. It is not always equally violent, but it does go through cycles of stronger and weaker activity. If it blows hard, the northern lights can be seen more frequently. The fact that the sky phenomenon can currently be seen very well and also further south than usual is due to the very high activity of the Sun at present.
Amazing shots of the Northern Lights.
Video: Tamedia
The Earth has a magnetic field whose magnetic field lines converge at the poles and meet the Earth there. This geomagnetic field can trap particles in the solar wind and accelerate them toward the magnetic poles. If these particles flow into the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere at an altitude of 80 to 600 kilometers, they encounter atoms and molecules there and can stir them up. The atoms and molecules then emit this energy in the form of fluorescent light: the northern lights shine in the sky. It has different colors depending on the particles the solar wind collides with in Earth’s atmosphere.
Solar storms threaten power grids and communication systems
Three years ago, the European Space Agency (ESA) sent the Solar Orbiter – a satellite with Swiss participation – on a mission to investigate the cause of solar storms.
Graphics: Tamedia
A real solar storm could also shut down critical infrastructure on Earth and cause billions of dollars in damage. Around 2017, after Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean, solar storms caused radio interference and hindered rescue work. At the end of October 2003, the lights went out in the Swedish city of Malmö for an hour as a result of a solar storm.
The Japanese Space Agency has lost contact with two of its satellites. In March 1989, a solar storm caused a stir when it crippled the power grid and traffic control systems in the Canadian province of Quebec. Six million people have been without electricity for nine hours.
red / growl
Found an error?Report now.
“Typical entrepreneur. Lifelong beer expert. Hipster-friendly internet buff. Analyst. Social media enthusiast.”