Aurora borealis forecast: will northern lights be visible in the UK tonight - and space weather predictions

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The aurora borealis is one of the most spectacular sights to see in the night sky, and you might not have to travel as far as you think to catch the colourful dancing lights this week.

It’s a sight that has caused excitement, awe, joy and even fear over the centuries – the brilliant multi-coloured Northern Lights that occasionally illuminate the dark skies of the Northern Hemisphere.

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A major tourist industry has become established in recent years, charging people desperate to experience the phenomenon large amounts for trips to vast and dark wildernesses in Iceland and Scandinavia.

But people in many parts of the UK could witness the Northern Lights this week, as a solar or geomagnetic storm is expected to reach Earth over the evenings of 31 March and 1 April.

Here is everything you need to know.

Why is it happening?

The aurora borealis is caused by Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), massive bursts of material from the sun which can cause a phenomenon known as a geomagnetic storm, which interferes with the Earth’s magnetic field.

The Met Office has said recent activity is “due to the arrival of two coronal mass ejections, which were launched from the Sun on the 28th March.”

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More space weather events are expected over the coming years to around 2025, as the sun goes through an expected cycle of activity.

Where to see it

If you live in the north of the UK you could be in luck.

The Met Office has said “aurora sightings are possible as far south as Scotland and Northern Ireland, perhaps a little further south.”

Leave city light pollution behind to maximise your chances of seeing the aurora.

In the southern hemisphere, the Met Office says aurora sightings are “possible across the south of Tasmania and New Zealand.”

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If you want to keep an eye on space weather, SpaceWeatherLive shows the current Kp index (the measure used for solar activity), and has lots of charts detailing solar winds and magnetic fields.

AuroraNow gives a simple percentage probability of seeing the northern lights in your location.

Both are free to download.

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