Northern Lights could be visible in UK tonight as Met Office gives verdict

There could be an opportunity to see the Northern Lights across parts of the UK on Friday night and Saturday morning.

According to the Met Office the lights, also known as aurora borealis, are most likely to be visible in areas of clear sky including in Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as northern parts of England.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles. This emits light and creates colourful displays in the sky.

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Met Office Space Weather Manager Krista Hammond said: “There is the potential for a coronal mass ejection to arrive at Earth late on Friday or early on Saturday, which could lead to visible aurora for Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England."

If you are not lucky enough to witness the phenomenon tonight the Met Office said there could be an even better chance to catch a glimpse the following night.

Krista added: "“In addition, we recently observed an X9 solar flare – the largest of this solar cycle so far. The accompanying coronal mass ejection is likely to arrive at Earth overnight on Saturday into Sunday, meaning that enhanced auroral visibility is possible further south across central England and similar latitudes, though cloud and rain could hamper viewing potential for some.”

According to Nasa, X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

Silvia Dalla, professor of solar physics at the University of Central Lancashire said: "Solar flares and fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields.

“This strong geomagnetic activity results in breath-taking displays of the Northern Lights.

“If we get a repeat of the solar situation we saw in mid-May, we will potentially see more spell-bounding auroral activity across the UK skies.”

Auroras are most commonly seen in high-latitude regions 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.

Remote, open areas with views of the northern horizon are best for sightings, with the lights unlikely to be visible until it gets very dark.