Northern Lights set to be visible in the UK tonight – here’s how to see them

There’s a good chance the Northern Lights will be visible in some parts of the UK tonight, say forecasters.

According to the Met Office, you’re most likely to see the sky illuminated in areas of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern parts of England and Wales.

There’s also the possibility the lights will be seen further south, it added.

Where are the best places to see the Northern Lights?

For the best chance of spotting the phenomenon, head to areas with little light pollution and use a long exposure camera, as they are better able to adapt to different wavelengths than the naked eye.

Remote, open areas with views of the northern horizon are particularly good for sightings.

When is the best time to see the Northern Lights in the UK?

Wait till it’s very dark as they’re harder to see when the sky is lighter.

Met Office spokesperson Andrea Bishop said: ‘Aurora activity is expected to peak on Monday following the forecast arrival of a coronal mass ejection.

‘However, for the UK, this period is expected to coincide with daylight hours.

‘Lingering effects are still likely to persist into Monday night and early Tuesday morning though, meaning that aurora is likely to be visible where skies are clear from Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as parts of England and Wales, mainly in the north.

‘It’s not possible to predict how far south the coronal mass ejection may be seen or pick out cities, but in terms of visibility overnight, there are generally clear skies for most tonight, however, it will be cloudier across the Northern Isles and western Scotland, with patchy rain and drizzle as well as cloudier skies in Northern Ireland.

‘There’s also patchy cloud for some in the south east and East Anglia.’

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles.

As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.

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 – which explains why displays can be occasionally seen as far south as the UK.

People up and down the country were treated to Northern Lights displays in May this year after a huge solar storm hit earth.

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