Brits have been put on ‘red alert’ for a spectacular Northern Lights display that could be visible within hours.
AuroraWatch UK has issued a red alert, indicating a high likelihood of sightings, provided the sky remains clear and not overly cloudy. The best chance of witnessing this phenomenon in the UK is in Scotland and some parts of northern England.
Typically observed over countries like Iceland, Canada, Norway and Finland, the aurora borealis can also be seen further south in Europe. Last night, Earth was struck by a powerful coronal mass ejection.
Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, are a natural light display in the Earth’s sky, appearing as shimmering waves or curtains of colour, predominantly green, pink, and red. The striking colours have long captivated humans and we now know that they are down to charged particles from the Sun, or solar winds, colliding with gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
Earlier this month, the Met Office highlighted increased solar activity, boosting the chances for people to see the Northern Lights.
A red alert from AuroraWatch UK suggests that the spectacle is likely to be visible from anywhere in the UK. The service is operated by scientists from the Space and Planetary Physics group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics.
No specific timings have been provided.
However, this won’t be the only opportunity. The national agency previously stated that the best day this week to see the Northern Lights in the UK will be on Thursday evening for those in Scotland.
The report reads: “The next potential auroral enhancement is expected on Thursday evening, which could allow for some visibility across similar geomagnetic latitudes as Scotland, depending on the extent of cloud cover.”
Regarding the solar activity over the next four days, it states: “Moderate activity is expected to continue with occasional Moderate class flares. There is a chance of an isolated Strong (X-class) flare.”