On the night of 10 May 2024, I experienced the beauty of the Northern Lights, near the forests of Austerlitz, as it graced the skies of the Netherlands in a rare and mesmerising spectacle. Following an exceptionally rare event, a powerful G5-level solar flare engulfed Earth on the night of Friday to Saturday, an event of extreme magnitude not observed since 2003, according to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). G5 is the strongest level of geomagnetic storm, on a scale of G1 to G5. "Widespread voltage regulation problems and security system issues may occur," NOAA warns. Read more about this 'G5′ geomagnetic storm here.
The impact was profound, with the Northern Lights making a stunning appearance in many regions of the Netherlands, even down to the southernmost province of Limburg. I was treated to the breathtaking spectacle of auroras dancing across the night sky, visible to the naked eye, a rare sight in this part of the world.
Sander Goldbach, 43 years old, married and father of 2 daughters.
About 10 years ago, we moved to beautiful Vianen.
The floodplains feel like our backyard and the city centre like our front yard.
For over 2 decades, I have been involved in photography. The journey started with one..
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