IN PICTURES. Magnificent northern lights illuminated the first night of 2025 in Lozère, Aveyron and all over France, discover them

A geomagnetic storm caused northern lights on January 1, 2025, all over France. Internet users shared superb photos.

“A geomagnetic storm of moderate to strong intensity could cause beautiful auroras for New Year's Eve”, announced the scientific mediator Pierre Henriquet aka AstroPierre, on X, on December 30, 2024.

Reddening sky

His predictions came true. On Wednesday, January 1, 2025, Internet users shared their photos of the northern lights on social networks, France 3 reports in particular.

In Marvejols, in Lozère, one of them shared a photo of a glowing sky from a highway bridge towards the A75.

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Visible everywhere in France

Météo Sud-Aveyron also has relayed the photos of two Internet users taken from the heights of Rebourguil and the dolmen of Tiergues, at Saint-Affrique.

The phenomenon was visible everywhere in France, notably in Provence.

What is an aurora borealis ?

The origin of the polar, northern lights and southern, is found in the electrons and protons brought by the solar wind. When particles collide with gases in the Earth's upper atmosphere, “the energy released by the collisions causes tiny flashes of light. The sky is then adorned with colorful veils”< /em>, decrypts Numerama.

Observation tips

To observe the northern lights, it is recommended to move away from any source of light pollution and to place yourself at a point at least 600 or 700 meters away height.

The phenomenon could well happen again in the coming months but perhaps not in 2026, “since we are at the end of an eruption cycle on the surface of the sun, which is reaching the end of its 10-year term”, explains Yohan Laurito, meteorologist of the Météo Varoise website, on France bleu.