The Northern Lights could be seen over parts of the UK, experts say. The Met Office issued an update this afternoon, letting people know that the right weather conditions in your area could provide the opportunity. The phenomenon is most likely to be visible in Scotland, but could also be seen in England.
Forecasters wrote on X: “There is an expected enhancement in solar activity later on today, lasting overnight. This could mean that there will be another chance to see the aurora tonight, where clear spells develop across Scotland and perhaps parts of northern England.”
A map was included in the post, showing the aurora borealis in relation to the UK throughout tonight and the early hours of Monday morning. Aurora displays occur when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles.
In the northern hemisphere, most of this activity takes place within a band known as the aurora oval, covering latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees. When activity is strong, this expands to cover a greater area.
This explains why displays can be occasionally seen as far south as the UK.
To give yourself the best chance of seeing the phenomenon, experts advise looking to the north and finding somewhere with a clear view with few tall buildings. It also helps to get up high on a hill.
You do not want to be asleep if it happens, so those hoping to catch it need to stay up as late as possible.
You can also use your phone, as their cameras can adapt to the wavelengths more than the human eye.
This means you may be able to appreciate the colours even more.
If you want to get alerts about the likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights, the AuroraWatch app, which is run by the Space and Planetary Physics group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics, provides them.
