Northern Lights: What is Steve and why is it different to an aurora borealis?
The image in this blog was obtained from BBC Weather.
A strip of violet illumination caused by an aurora phenomenon called Steve was caught on camera in Argyll by a Weather Watcher with the username 'R Westerman'.
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If your name happens to be Steve, there was a noticeable occurrence on Sunday night where your name was clearly displayed in bright lights.
Steve, a timid celestial phenomenon, is not often seen in the skies of the United Kingdom. However, there have been a few documented instances of spotting him in March and in the Shetland Islands in 2021.
However, Steve has come back again, brightening up the sky above the regions of north-east England and Scotland.
The slender, violet strip that was observed radiating in the atmosphere in Northumberland, County Durham, and Argyll is a recently uncovered scientific revelation.
Steve is a phenomenon that is distinct from the aurora, but is frequently linked to the more well-known aurora borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights. This fascinating light display was also visible in certain areas of the UK on Sunday.
The Steve phenomenon, which is not frequently observed, was captured in photos shared by members of BBC Weather Watchers.
The picture was taken by the BBC Weather team.
An unusual occurrence appeared in the sky at night in County Durham, which was very visible. A person called 'Austin' who watches the weather took a picture of this event.
Pictures of this phenomenon have been captured ever since many years ago, but it wasn't until 2016 that it was given the name Steve. This was done through a project called Citizen Science, which was financially supported by both Nasa and the National Science Foundation.
The source of the name "glow" is believed to come from a particular part in the cartoon film "Over the Hedge".
The blog talks about a group of animals who come out of their hibernation and discover a large hedge in a garden, which amazes them.
"What is this object?" a creature inquires.
Someone mentioned that they would feel less scared if they knew the name of the thing they were referring to. A squirrel then suggested calling it Steve.
"Steve doesn't scare me much anymore," another creature comments.
Afterwards, researchers changed the name to an abbreviation - "STEVE", representing Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement.
Many people besides astronomers have been fascinated by Steve.
Last year, the Canadian authorities produced a special coin for collectors which has a face value of 20 dollars. This coin showcases the enigmatic beams of brilliance.
We had very limited knowledge regarding how it was created and the reason behind its occurrence during an aurora exhibition.
The Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA has been examining Steve through utilizing ground images paired with satellites.
Although auroras take place around the world in the form of an oval, Steve manifests as a strip and has a duration of 20 minutes to an hour before vanishing.
Although Steve is typically observed together with an aurora, it's not your typical aurora. Researchers say it's made up of a swift, incredibly hot array of particles known as a subauroral ion drift, or SAID.
It's uncommon to capture footage of Steve from the ground because it's a short-lived and erratic phenomenon.
Nasa has stated that this occurrence has been observed in various locations, including the UK, Canada, northern states in the US, and New Zealand.
The picture was taken from BBC Weather's source.
JulieJ, a Weather Watcher, has managed to capture an event known as Steve, which is a ribbon of purple light during an aurora. She took the stunning picture in Northumberland.
The northern lights were seen all over the United Kingdom during the night of Sunday.
People who enjoy watching the aurora were informed of a geomagnetic storm that occurred in the evening. This was caused by a powerful solar wind that transported electrically charged particles towards our planet.
Electrically charged particles are attracted by the magnetic force towards the Northern Pole and they combine with oxygen and nitrogen in order to produce the beautiful colors of the Northern Lights, such as green, purple, and red.
Usually only visible in regions with high latitudes, such as Scotland, the Northern Lights were recorded on video throughout the UK due to their extraordinary strength.
Check out: An amazing display of Northern Lights illuminates the skies of the United Kingdom.
