Northern Lights could be visible in UK within hours – latest from Met Office | UK | News
The Northern Lights could be visible in parts of the UK tonight, offering another chance to witness this rare and spectacular phenomenon.
The northern lights, commonly known as the aurora borealis, could light up the sky again tonight, following a previous appearance earlier this year.
Strong geomagnetic storms predicted in the northern hemisphere could bring aurora borealis to Northern Ireland, northern England and similar latitudes, although visibility may be hampered by the near-full moon and limited hours of darkness.
The Met Office has predicted that the best time to see the Northern Lights will be around midnight.
The National Meteorologist said on its website: “Ideally, the lights will be best observed away from any light pollution, in remote areas, facing the northern horizon – north-facing coastlines offer some of the best viewing locations.
“The Northern Lights are most visible in Scotland, northern England, north Wales and Northern Ireland. However, in extreme space weather conditions, the Northern Lights can be seen across the UK.
Space weather expert Dr Tamitha Skov told X: “The arrival window starts on July 24. The storm is likely to arrive late, due to slow solar wind ‘traffic’ and an additional storm surge ahead of it.”
She also mentioned that geomagnetic conditions could reach levels G1 to G2, a significant, but not extreme, level of solar storm activity.
The northern lights occur when charged particles collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles, producing vibrant light displays.
“The purple, blue and pink come from nitrogen and when you have a really strong aurora you sometimes see a sort of scarlet red,” explained Professor Carole Haswell.
For the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights tonight, it is recommended to go to a secluded area with a clear view of the northern horizon, away from city lights. Keep an eye on Met Office updates for the latest information on viewing conditions.
