Northern Lights Expected Over the UK Due to Solar Activity

The Met Office has announced that the Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, might be visible from North Wales and other parts of the United Kingdom this evening. This opportunity arises due to a combination of clear skies and increased auroral activity. Observers in North Wales and parts of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are advised to find locations away from light pollution to catch a glimpse of this celestial event.

A spokesperson for the Met Office, Andrea Bishop, explained that auroral activity is anticipated to peak following the arrival of a coronal mass ejection. This is a significant release of plasma from the sun, which often results in heightened auroral displays. While the peak activity coincides with daylight, residual effects could make the aurora visible during Monday night and into Tuesday morning, given clear skies.

The visibility of the Northern Lights is typically enhanced in remote, open areas due to clearer views of the northern horizon. It is recommended to use a long exposure camera for capturing the lights, as it can adjust to the various wavelengths of light released during the event, capturing scenes the human eye might miss.

The Northern Lights appear when charged particles from the sun interact with gases in the Earth‘s atmosphere, mainly near the magnetic poles. This interaction results in emissions of light across various colors, which depend on the type of gas involved. For instance, oxygen can emit green light, while nitrogen may produce shades of purple, blue, or pink.

Typically, the auroral displays are contained within a region called the aurora oval, which predominantly spans latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees. However, strong solar activity can cause this oval to expand, allowing the lights to be seen further south, occasionally reaching as far as the UK.

This year has witnessed several notable displays of the Northern Lights across the UK, with particularly strong appearances earlier this year in May and August. According to Krista Hammond, a space weather forecaster at the Met Office, such occurrences are part of the sun’s 11-year cycle of activity. Currently, the sun is nearing what is termed a “solar maximum,” a period of increased solar activity.