Northern Lights 'likely' to be visible in UK skies tonight as 'red alert' issued

01 December 2023 , 18:37

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Northern Lights seen at Ainsdale Beach by a Mirror staff member (Image: Mirror Staff)

The stunning Northern Lights will "likely" be visible in parts of the UK tonight, as Brits can expect an "absolutely epic" display of colours.

Meteorological data and cloud cover information indicate that certain parts of the country may see the night sky lit up in dazzling displays of colour. It will be most likely in Scotland where an astrophotography expert has said Scotland's conditions are currently perfect for the Northern Lights to be observable.

AuroraWatchUK by Lancaster University produces an hourly activity index to measure "geomagnetic activity" which estimates the likelihood that aurora can be seen from the UK. It bands the likelihood of the spectacle with a traffic light system with the lowest being green and the highest being red. Twenty minutes ago they issued a red alert, stating: "It is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK."

A red alert has been issued (AuroraWatchUK)

Cloud cover is set to be light in the north of Scotland on Friday, meaning the Highlands and Islands are likely to be the best destinations to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis, while magnetic field readings are also strong. Taking to Facebook to share the news, Scotland's Nightsky wrote: "HUGE AURORA AND CLEAR SKIES?! Tonight could be absolutely epic if the strength of the Nothern Lights stay strong as most of Scotland will have a good amount of clear skies."

The latest aurora forecast from the Met Office states: "A weak Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) has recently arrived, and currently geomagnetic activity is increasing leading to potential visible aurora over Scotland and on northern horizons across northern England and Northern Ireland, where skies are clear."

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Northern Lights seen at Ainsdale Beach by a Mirror staff member (Mirror Staff)

Last month the northern lights lit up much of the UK and Ireland, including Stonehenge. Northern lights occur when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field and causes atoms in the upper atmosphere to glow. The lights appear suddenly and the intensity varies. The sun is constantly sending material our way in a stream known as the solar wind. These particles carry an electric charge and when they bump into gases such as oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere, they transfer some of their energy.

Rachel Hagan