Residents of Malaysia's coastal town of Sungai Besar became curious after the night sky there glowed in different shades of green on Tuesday night (October 24).
According to The Straits Times, photos of the supposed natural phenomenon were shared on Facebook, with social media users commenting they allegedly had also witnessed the lights from their own homes.
It was unclear how long the night lights remained before they disappeared.
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Cause of Night Lights Disputed
There were multiple speculations on what the green night lights were.
Some theorized it was a reflection of the bright lights from fishermen's boats in the Strait of Malacca, while others said the green lights came from a scattered storm cloud after a recent thunderstorm.
There were also social media users saying it was a sign of the arrival of the "green wave," pertaining to the political color of the Malaysian Islamic Party (PIS),
This was not the first time lights resembling the aurora borealis have been spotted in Malaysia, despite the country being located nearer to the equator than to the Arctic or Antarctic circles.
In 2022, a similar incident happened off the coasts of Pangkor and Langkawi islands, north of Selangor.
2023 is set to be a year where Northern Hemisphere auroras would intensify as the peak of the solar cycle is set to begin.
Related Article: Northern Hemisphere Auroras Expected to Intensify as Peak of Solar Cycle Imminent - How to Watch Northern Lights as Winter Approaches?
