Last chance for Brits to see stunning aurora TONIGHT from latest solar eruption

Posted by Admin October 7, 2024 Tech

THERE’S another chance to see the Northern Lights from the UK tonight if you’re lucky enough to live in certain areas – and provided the weather plays nice.

Aurora borealis were spotted across in all four nations over the weekend as increased solar activity continues.

Northern Lights spotted over Flintshire, North Wales last nightCredit: Alamy

Brits have been treated to a number of Northern Lights appearances this yearCredit: PA

There have been several displays visible from British skies already this year.

And for those who missed this latest display, there is a small chance to see them again tonight – but only if you live in northern parts of Scotland.

Visibility will very much depend on the amount of cloud.

It comes after a coronal mass ejection (CMEs) erupted from an active Sun spot recently.

See more about Northern Lights

Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

This flare is classified as an X9.0 flare. According to Nasa, X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

Tonight’s opportunity will be the last chance to see Northern Lights from this current eruption.

But more are likely in the coming weeks and months, as the Sun approaches solar maximum, a period in which it is most active.

This is all down to an 11-year solar cycle the Sun goes through.

“There is a slight chance of seeing aurora across the north of Scotland during Monday night and into Tuesday morning, depending on cloud cover,” Met Office spokesperson Andrea Bishop told The Sun.

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“This is due to ongoing Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) affects chiefly, from an arrival on Sunday.

“From tomorrow onwards, we expect to see a gradual reduction in the chances of aurora, with any activity likely to remain confined to northern Scotland if at all.”

She added: “The Sun goes through an 11-year solar cycle and at the moment, the Sun is approaching something called ‘solar maximum’ which is when it is most active and there is a higher chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis.

“Scientists only know if solar maximum has happened six months after the event.

“Current predictions suggest we could reach solar maximum at the end of 2024 or early 2025.”

Auroras – how do they work?

Here’s the official explanation from Nasa…

The dancing lights of the auroras provide spectacular views on the ground, but also capture the imagination of scientists who study incoming energy and particles from the sun
Auroras are one effect of such energetic particles.
These particles can speed out from the sun from giant eruptions known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs and solar flares, explosions of radiation on the sun
After a trip toward Earth that can last two to three days, the solar particles and magnetic fields cause the release of particles already trapped near Earth, which in turn trigger reactions in the upper atmosphere in which oxygen and nitrogen molecules release photons of light
The result: the Northern and Southern lights.