The Northern Lights are forecast to be visible from one part of the UK this week, providing the skies are clear.
The Met Office space weather forecast says it’s possible to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis in Scotland on Thursday, March 13. It comes after the aurora was visible across Northern Scotland over the weekend and into Monday morning, but those who missed out now have the chance to enjoy a rare sighting of the spectacle.
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, is a natural light display in the Earth’s sky and is typically seen in high-latitude regions, such as around the Arctic and Antarctic. But occasionally it can be seen from the UK, although it requires clear skies to be able to see it clearly.
The auroras appear as a large area of coloured lights in the night sky, often in rays of green, pink, shades of red, purple, yellow and blue.
When the aurora is weak, the colours will appear very faint and spread out, whereas an intense aurora will have much stronger bursts of bright colours that can be seen much higher in the sky with a distinct arc.
For those in the UK hoping to catch a glimpse, the Met Office space weather forecast says: “The auroral oval is likely to be near background levels through 11-12 March. The onset of fast winds during 13 March is likely to bring slight enhancements, with aurora likely to be visible from Scotland and similar geomagnetic latitudes.”
The Met Office says the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights is when the sky is clear and you’re viewing from an area of darkness, away from any light pollution. As such, you’re best heading to a remote area, facing the northern horizon, without any light pollution to see it.
The national forecast explains: “The Northern Lights can produce a spectacular light show sometimes seen as far south as Scotland and Northern England/Ireland – if skies are clear.
“The distance to the aurora belt, compounded by light pollution or twilight, means it can be difficult for the naked eye to see the phenomenon clearly and it is often portrayed much brighter in pictures than it appears to the naked eye.”
To boost your chances of seeing the Northern Lights in the UK you can try using an aurora app, such as AuroraWatch or My Aurora Forecast, which notifies you the chances of seeing them are high.
It’s also worth using your phone camera to see them as some say it’s easier to view them through a camera lens than with the naked eye.
And if you don’t have any other plans, you could visit a Dark Sky Reserve as these have low levels of light pollution which makes them ideal for viewing the Northern Lights. Some locations around the UK include Northumberland National Park, Snowdonia National Park, the Brecon Beacons National Park, Cairngorms National Park, the Lake District National Park, the Isle of Skye and Derwentwater.