Aurora Northern Lights UK: 'Potential' for spectacle to be visible across northern parts of UK tonight - how to see
There is “potential” that the aurora borealis will be visible across much of the UK tonight, the Met Office has said.
Heighted solar activity could lead to the Northern Lights being visible further south than usual, with sightings possible with the naked eye. BBC Weather said the lights, formally known as the aurora borealis, would be visible across much of England and Wales away from western coasts.
As is usually the case, Northern Ireland and north east Scotland would have the best chance for clear spells of viewing, it said. It also advised the public to head away from city lights for the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights and that if the lights were not visible - another way to potentially see them was to use a smartphone on night mode.
The Met Office forecasts that while there will be lots of cloud cover throughout the evening, the Midlands will be most likely to have clear skies, making it potentially one of the best place in the UK for a sighting. The lights should still be visible tonight (Tuesday 2 September).
Forecasters have revealed that even on Tuesday night there is a chance that the Northern Lights will be visible - but these are more likely to be confined to northern parts of the country. From Wednesday night onwards, the likelihood of further aurora sightings diminishes as no significant solar activity is expected, the Met Office added.
The Northern Lights are caused by solar winds carrying charged particles interacting with the earth's magnetic field. The heightened chance of a UK sighting has been caused by a fast-moving coronal mass ejection, which is a "release of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona", late on Saturday night.
Met Office space weather manager, Krista Hammond, said: "As we monitor the arrival of this coronal mass ejection, there is a real possibility of aurora sightings further south than usual on Monday night. While the best views are likely further north, anyone with clear, dark skies should keep an eye out.
"Forecasts can change rapidly, so we encourage the public to stay updated with the latest information."