Northern Lights may be visible in the UK over the coming days

Posted by Admin July 29, 2024 World

The best conditions to view the lights are when the sky is dark and clear of any clouds

The Northern Lights over Crosby Beach (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

The Met Office has revealed the Northern Lights could be visible in some parts of the UK over the next few days. Increased solar energy is expected to have reached Earth’s atmosphere early this morning (29 July) with the effects continuing over a four-day period.

The Northern Lights occur as a consequence of solar activity and result from collisions of charged particles in the solar wind colliding with molecules in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Upon reaching Earth, these charged particles encounter its magnetic field, which extends into space and forms a region known as the magnetosphere. This acts as a shield, protecting Earth from most of the solar wind.

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The Met Office said: “The auroral oval may become enhanced Monday night into Tuesday from the impact of a Coronal Mass Ejection. Aurora sightings may become visible in Scotland although impeded by limited hours of darkness.” They added: ”Activity is expected to be Moderate with further Moderate flares expected and a chance of isolated strong flares.”

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If you are hoping to see the Northern Lights, the best conditions to view the lights are when the sky is dark and clear of any clouds. Cloud cover will block the view of the light. Ideally so the lights will be best viewed away from any light pollution, in remote areas, facing the northern horizon.

The Met Office have advised that that another, stronger, bout of solar geomagnetic radiation is expected for July 31. Solar winds are currently propelling radiation from the sun towards Earth at roughly 400 kilometres per second. The Northern Lights may not create the magical skies above Liverpool we saw back in May but it is worth looking up and keeping an eye out.

The Aurora, Northern Lights over Crosby Beach on Merseyside. Photo by Colin Lane(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)

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If you are looking out for the Northern Lights they will appear as large areas of colour including pale green, pink, shades of red, yellow, blue and violet in the direction due north. During a weak aurora, the colours are very faint and spread out whereas an intense aurora features greater numbers of and brighter colours which can be seen higher in the sky with a distinct arc.