Letter: Northern Lights were striking but shouldn't we be taking precautions in case of a future blackout?
A letter from Dominic Gallagher:
The Northern Lights over Glenavy were so striking that no one I spoke to had ever recalled seeing similar in their lifetime.
The strength of these lights makes me wonder not just at the beauty of the aurora borealis but also whether we need to take precautions.
The solar flares that caused the lights happen every 11 years when the sun’s magnetic polarity flips. Around the start of June the sunspot cluster that caused the lights will again rotate back towards us.
A recent BBC article considers the possibility of a solar storm such as the Carrington event in 1859 that caused worldwide electrical blackouts. However, the article refrains from offering advice.
During the recent lights, aircraft were diverted from areas of greater radiation. Would it not be wise to advise against unnecessary flights around June 1 in the same way ships are warned against going out to sea in a storm?
What of the possibility of an electrical blackout that would last not just for minutes but for a few days? Should there not be guidelines for such a situation in the same way we practice fire drills?
There should be no fear mongering but it would be a dereliction of duty not to prepare for the worst.
We have seen some extraordinary sights in the last week and we are very dependent on electricity. If there is a blackout it will be too late to offer advice.
The old nursery rhymes found both delight and warnings in the red sky. We should too.
Dominic Gallagher, Glenavy