Autumn equinox boosts chances of northern lights sightings: Jeddah astronomers

Northern areas of the globe are anticipating better opportunities to witness the aurora borealis as the autumn equinox approaches on September 23, marking the astronomical start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, said auroral activity tends to increase around the equinoxes, and the gradually lengthening nights provide improved conditions for observing the phenomenon in regions within the auroral zone.

He explained that the heightened activity is linked to the orientation of Earth's magnetic field relative to the magnetic field carried by the solar wind, creating more favorable conditions for energy transfer into the magnetosphere and upper atmosphere—a process known as the Russell–McPherron effect.

Abu Zahra noted that the northern lights occur when energetic particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, causing them to glow in various colors, most notably green, as well as red and violet.

He added that long-term records show a tendency for increased geomagnetic activity around the equinoxes, making September and October important months for aurora watchers. However, he stressed that the appearance and intensity of the phenomenon depend on actual solar activity and the direction of the solar wind's magnetic field, and are not guaranteed solely by the arrival of the equinox.