`Steve' returns

For the third time in about a year `Steve' returned to Shetland. On the 7 October 2018 `Steve' was seen over Sandness on the west side during a brief gap in the clouds. The arrival coincided with a Severe Aurora alert and was also see in Orkney

Originally Steve was thought to be a rare Aurora but a recent study claims that in fact it is an unknown Phenomenon which is baffling scientists.

 Although Steve ( Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancer) has been know for about 100 years its only recently that studies have found its nothing to do with the Aurora. Steve can be identified as a ribbon like purple emission during an aurora but slightly south to the Auroral band

In 2016 the Scientific community started to study Steve, originally thought to be a proton arc. Now the study has said it may be a kind of `skyglow' not associated with either the Aurora or airglow. Skyglow is normally associated with light pollution but Steve is structured and distinct.

Steve is massive, stretching east - west for thousands of miles and tens of miles wide north to south, a very impressive and a rare sight in the northern skies

Steve then re appeared in another big storm a few days later, that's the fourth time Steve has been seen in Shetland in the last year.