IN PICTURES. New Northern Lights in Vendée and Loire-Atlantique for the greatest pleasure of the eyes

The Northern Lights: A Dazzling Display Over France

Well, it seems that from Thursday to Friday, the heavens decided to throw a party. The Northern Lights graced our night sky with a kaleidoscope of colors that even Picasso would have blushed at. I mean, when was the last time you saw neon pinks and purples battling it out in a celestial tug-of-war? Only in France, my friends!

Magical Moments for Photographers

Ah, the hopeless romantics of photography were in their element last night. It was a sleepless adventure complete with “long exposure” frustration and magical Instagram posts. Jean-Marie Poirier, a passionate photographer who clearly has more dedication than most people do for their morning coffee, gushed on social media, “aurora flattered by a long exposure, truly visible to the naked eye twice during the night. A nod to Pink October. A sparkling night we won’t soon forget!” Let’s be real—if you can get a decent pic of the Northern Lights, your Instagram is basically guaranteed thousands of likes. Might as well just hire a publicist at that point!

Everywhere You Look!

Not just limited to a single daring photographer, this phenomenon had our amateur shutterbugs scrambling across the Vendée countryside. Just picture it: Grégory Audubert and a gang of photo enthusiast pals gallivanting on Noirmoutier, shouting, “It’s magical! Look at these colors!” What a delightful image! Who doesn’t want to see a group of adults shouting about the sky like kids on a sugar high? And the hues? Pink to purple—a full-on rave without the pounding EDM! Someone needs to give Mother Nature a DJ contract.

Valentin Perrault eagerly chipped in on this cheerful commentary, noting that around 10:50 PM, the skies lit up like a disco ball at a particularly lively party. “It was clearly visible to the naked eye for several tens of minutes,” he explained. This is a big deal, folks! Ten minutes of beauty—just long enough for your social media followers to wonder if you’ve wandered into a new dimension.

A Connection to Solar Activity

But let’s not get too carried away with whimsical photography and colorful nights. What actually causes this cosmic spectacle? According to experts, the aurora borealis occurs when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Fascinating, isn’t it? It’s like an interstellar dance party, with electrons facing off against protons while gas molecules cheer from the sidelines. “Billions of glows appear in sequence, making it seem as if the aurora is moving or dancing across the sky,” the Canadian space agency explains. I can just imagine it now—an atmospheric flash mob up in the thermosphere!

More Northern Lights Coming Your Way!

The good news is that this isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime flicker! Similar shows have been happening more frequently around these latitudes. Think of it as Mother Nature’s way of saying, “I’m feeling generous!” Just last May, the Northern Lights graced us again, turning the night into a painter’s palette. If only we could convince her to bring back a little more sunshine during the day, eh?

So, if you missed out on this recent display, don’t fret! Keep your eyes peeled because apparently, it’s happening again this Friday evening! Remember to bring your camera, your friends, and maybe a picnic—anything to make the experience just a little less boring than sitting at home scrolling through TikTok.

Final Thoughts

So, whether you’re in the Vendée or Loire-Atlantique, grab your camera or your binoculars and relish the beauty of the Northern Lights. They remind us that while life can be mundane, the universe loves to sprinkle in a bit of magic now and then. And who knows? Just like those colors swirling above us, your life might get a bit more vibrant tonight! Now go on, make the most of it—a sunset’s nice, but a dance party in the sky? That’s next level!

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This article combines observational humor with vivid descriptions of the Northern Lights phenomenon, aiming for an engaging and cheeky tone. From whimsical imagery of photographers to lively commentary on solar activity, it keeps the reader entertained and informed in equal measure.

This rare phenomenon is always magical. The Northern Lights were visible in the night sky from Thursday to Friday, with a festival of unusual colors in our latitudes.

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Last night was magical for photographers.

“A sleepless night…rather colorful”, Jean-Marie Poirier, Philippe Maindron’s accomplice on the Poupet festival and passionate about photography, raves on his Facebook page, “aurora flattered by a long exposure, truly visible to the naked eye twice during the night. A nod to Pink October. A sparkling night, which we will not soon forget!”

Northern lights in the Vendée countryside, on the night of October 10 to 11, 2024 • © Jean-Marie Poirier

A few days earlier, Jean-Marie Poirier had already been able to capture “a little shy, but very real” at Mont des Alouettes.

Same pleasure on the side of Grégory Audubert who, on the side of Noirmoutier, did not miss a beat, with his group of amateur photographers, “a magical night under the Northern Lights at Herbaudière”.

Northern lights at L’Herbaudière on the island of Noirmoutier in Vendée, on the night of October 10 to 11, 2024 • © Phot’eau 85

“The sky lit up with dazzling hues, ranging from pink to purple, offering an unexpected nod to the month of Pink October. This magical spectacle enchanted the assembly, appreciated Grégory Audubert and his comrades, the colors were incredible, almost unreal. A real feast for the eyes and our cameras.”

“Several salvos will have lit up the night. The first, around 10:50 p.m., will have lit up the bay of Sables-d’Olonne, explains Valentin Perrault, eIt was clearly visible to the naked eye for several tens of minutes. And it must be said that the lights of the city do not help in its observation. Just incredible!”

Aurora borealis in Sables-d’Olonne, ne Vendée, on the night of October 10 to 11, 2024 • © VALENTIN PERRAULT

In Loire-Atlantique, Lake Grandlieu was also the scene of the Northern Lights on the night of October 10 to 11.

Aurora Borealis above Lake Grand Lieu, on the night of October 10 to 11, 2024 • © William Sabbas

Same pretty spectacle captured in Sucé-sur-Erdre captured by Johann Challoyard, in the hamlet of Lavoir.

An aurora borealis in the hamlet of Lavoir, in Sucé-sur-Erdre, in Loire-Atlantique, on the night of October 10 to 11, 2024 • © Johann Challoyard

This Friday evening, it will once again be possible to observe the Northern Lights in Loire-Atlantique and Vendée.

These phenomena are becoming less and less rare in our latitudes. So last May, already in Vendée and in November 2023 in Maine-et-Loire.

“In Norway, they have them all year round, the fact that we see them in France means that the activity of the sun is much more intense,” Aurélien Braud, an amateur photographer, explained to us in November 2023.

The aurora borealis is formed when there is a collision between charged particles of electrons and protons and gases found in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

“These collisions generate tiny bursts of light that fill the sky with veils of color. Billions of glows appear in sequence, making it appear as if the aurora is moving or dancing across the sky“, explain the Canadian space agency.

“It is the Earth’s magnetic field that guides the charged particles. The shape of the Earth’s magnetic field creates two ovals above the north and south poles. This is why auroras occur almost every year. nights in the northern sky, from August to May”add the scientists.

The Northern Lights occur in the thermosphere, one of the uppermost layers of the atmosphere. Depending on the altitude at which the phenomenon occurs, the colors emitted vary between red, yellow, green, purple and blue. The difference in colors is due to the type of gas ionized by solar winds.

At altitudes of 100 to 200 km, the colors emitted can be yellow, green, pink or blue in the presence of oxygen, violet or red in the presence of nitrogen.

“The peak is normally expected for 2025, that’s what the scientists say. But the sun is obviously two years ahead”Aurélien Bréau explained to us last November.

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