Gloucestershire, England – Video captured by photographer and videographer Oskar Brennan shows a powerful aurora borealis substorm unfolding over rural Gloucestershire during the night of January 19 to 20, 2026.

The timelapse records the explosive onset of the aurora between roughly 21:00 and 23:30 local time. What begins as faint green arcs along the northern horizon rapidly erupts into bright, surging curtains of light.

Vivid green bands ripple and twist across the sky, forming vertical pillars and flowing waves that pulse and intensify in rapid succession. Subtle pink and magenta edges appear along some of the brighter sections as the glow waxes and fades.

Below the display, the landscape remains dark and still. Open countryside and gently rolling fields are silhouetted against the sky, with bare winter trees and hedgerows lining the horizon. Minimal light pollution allows the aurora to stand out clearly despite the southern latitude of around 51 to 52 degrees north.

Stars are visible in clearer patches of sky, adding depth to the scene. No people, buildings, or artificial light sources appear, keeping the focus entirely on the dynamic movement above.

The rare sight was triggered by a G4 severe geomagnetic storm caused by an exceptionally fast coronal mass ejection from an X1.9 class solar flare on January 18. The disturbance struck Earth on January 19, producing widespread auroral activity visible far south of usual viewing zones.

The event marked one of the most striking aurora displays of early 2026 during the active phase of Solar Cycle 25, with similar sightings reported across southern England on the same night.

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