Thousands of people were left confused after photos and videos of a bright pink sky began circulating online after Storm Goretti brought heavy snowfall to parts of the UK.
The unusual colour was seen during the evening under low cloud cover in the West Midlands, creating a near-neon pink glow that spread across the sky and became visible far beyond its source.
While weather conditions played a role, the cause itself turned out to be far more ordinary.
What actually caused the pink sky
The pink glow came from high-powered LED grow lights used at a nearby football stadium to maintain the grounds’ play surface. The lights emit a strong pink or purple hue designed to support turf health.
Under normal conditions, the light is mostly contained within the stadium. However, when low clouds or mist are present, the coloured light reflects off clouds and scatters across the sky, effectively turning it into a large light diffuser.
In an Instagram post, Hednesford Town F.C. said, “Seems the ‘northern lights’ over Hednesford were a bit closer to home than we all thought. That pink glow in the sky was, in fact, our LED pitch lights helping the grass grow and recover, keeping us ready to chase three points, not the aurora.”
Similar scenes have been reported in other parts of the world near football grounds and large greenhouses, but they often catch people off guard when they happen suddenly. In this case, the combination of winter cloud cover and intense stadium lighting created a striking effect that quickly went viral.
Despite its dramatic appearance, the pink sky was not linked to dangerous weather, pollution, or any atmospheric anomaly.
