Stamps capture northern lights over Manx skies

The Isle of Man Post Office asked the public to send in photos for the stamps

A new series of stamps showcasing the "dramatic displays" of the northern lights in skies over the Isle of Man has been released.

Local astronomer Howard Parkin said the peak of the current 11-year solar cycle had been "shown brilliantly" in the "innovative" set.

The images of the Aurora Borealis in the Lights of Mann collection were caught by local photographers, with some taken on mobile phones and others on top of the range digital cameras.

While the natural phenomenon is usually observed in Polar Regions like Alaska and Norway, it can sometimes be seen from the island’s north-western coast.

The island has the highest concentration of dark sky sites in the British Isles

'Encourage interest'

It colourful displays occur when solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, creating vibrant displays of green, red, purple and blue across the sky.

Mr Parkin said that 2024 had seen "some of the most impressive auroral displays seen" from the island in more than 20 years.

“With our fantastic dark skies, the Isle of Man is a great place to see the aurora or northern lights,” he said.

Created by the Isle of Man Post Office (IOMPO) in collaboration with the Isle of Man Astronomical Society, the stamp collection was designed to “further promote and encourage interest in astronomy on the island”.

Maxine Cannon, general manager of IOMPO stamps and coins, said: “It demonstrates you don’t have to travel to Northern Europe to witness such beauty, on so many occasions in 2024 it has been right on our doorstep.”