The Northern Lights were seen by Nizhny Novgorod residents on the night of March 21.

      March 21, 2026 10:33 Society On the night of March 20 to 21, residents of the Nizhny Novgorod region witnessed a rare natural phenomenon — the northern lights. Eyewitnesses shared photos of the unusual glow in the sky on social media. The appearance of the northern lights outside the northern latitudes is considered a rather rare event, but it does occur from time to time. Auroras are caused by the glow of oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the upper layers of the atmosphere.

      When charged particles from the solar wind reach Earth, they collide with air molecules, causing them to glow. This process occurs in the ionosphere at altitudes of 150 to 300 kilometers. The additional enhancement of the effect is related to the fact that solar wind particles are accelerated by the planet's magnetic field. The cause of the aurora's appearance was a strong magnetic storm that began last night.

      "Very strong polar auroras are being recorded (around the peak), but the center of the most intense glow has already shifted significantly towards Europe," said representatives of the solar astronomy laboratory at IKI RAS. Earlier, residents of Nizhny Novgorod were informed about the astronomical events they would be able to observe in 2026. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+