Met Office names areas of UK set to see Northern Lights on Monday or Tuesday | UK | News
Brits will get the chance to see the Northern Lights in a rare event this week. This comes as the Met Office is predicting a coronal mass ejection (CME) that will leave the sun on January 18 and arrive on Monday night, January 19, or on the morning of Tuesday, January 20.
As a result, the aurora belt that typically occurs over Norway, Iceland and Greenland could be moved directly over the UK, allowing Brits to experience the spectacular light show.
Those in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England have the best chance of seeing it, according to the weather agency. Those further south can also experience an observation; however visibility will depend on arrival time and cloud cover.
Met Office Space Weather Manager Krista Hammond explains: “There is still some uncertainty about the exact timing of CME’s arrival, but it is expected tonight or tomorrow morning. CME is likely to result in a geomagnetic storm and provide the potential for seeing the aurora. However, views are dependent on CME arriving during dark and clear sky hours.”
“The effects of CME may continue into Tuesday night; aurora sightings are possible in Scotland, perhaps Northern Ireland and Northern England where skies are clear. This will likely diminish further by Wednesday night, perhaps with some glimpses possible from the far north of Scotland.”
Tips provided by the agency for getting the best chance of viewing the display include finding dark, clear skies, as light pollution and cloud cover can obscure the view; North-facing coasts and countryside spots are the best places to view them, and the lights are most active around the Equinoxes, although strong solar events can bring surprises at other times of the year.
The Northern Lights are caused by solar activity. The sun emits charged particles known as the solar wind, which move at about 1 million miles per hour. As these particles interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, they are directed towards the magnetic poles.
The energetic particles then collide with gases in the upper atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light. Oxygen produces green and rare red auroras at higher altitudes, while nitrogen creates blue and purple hues, leading to the beautiful phenomenon we encounter today.
