Leeds residents will get the chance to learn about the science behind the Northern Lights this week, as aurora specialist José Jiménez, brought in by Planetarium Go UK, gives a free talk at The Attic explaining the science of the Northern Lights, today, Friday, at 6pm.
Jiménez, CEO of both Planetarium Go UK and AstroAndalus, has spent more than 11 years running aurora observation trips and has made over 25 trips to the Arctic in search of the phenomenon. Over the last five years he’s also been working alongside the European Space Agency’s Space Weather Office, field-testing predictive models used to forecast aurora activity, work that’s seen him invited to specialist conferences in Frankfurt and Umeå, Sweden.
The talk will cover why auroras happen, how they’re forecast, and the conditions under which they can occasionally be spotted as far south as northern England — Leeds sits far enough north that strong solar storms can, on rare occasions, make the Northern Lights visible from the city. The talk will explain what has to line up on the Sun itself, out in space, and within Earth’s own magnetic field for the lights to travel as far south as Leeds. It forms part of the wider cultural programme built around Planetarium Go UK’s current residency in Millennium Square.
A chance to see it again
Jiménez said: “The Northern Lights are one of the most beautiful natural phenomena on Earth, but they are also a direct consequence of solar activity and space weather. Leeds may not be the Arctic, but under the right conditions, auroras can reach skies much further south than many people imagine. This talk is about helping people understand what they are seeing, why it happens, and when they might have a chance to see it again.”
No prior knowledge of astronomy is needed, and the session is designed to be informal and accessible to everyone. Attendees will also be given a discount code for Planetarium Go UK’s dome in Millennium Square, where visitors can watch immersive space films.
Entry is free, subject to capacity. Tickets and further information are available at leeds.planetariumgo.co.uk.
