The northern lights aren’t usually something we associate with the UK. When most of us think of the aurora borealis we probably imagine snowy ice caps and Scandinavian landscapes – but this year the northern lights will be more visible from our little island than they have been at any other point in the past decade.
The northern lights are a phenomenon which occurs when solar particles collide with the Earth’s atmosphere, and they look just as cool as they sound. The lights are usually more visible at the Earth’s poles due to their magnetism but occasionally, due to extra strong solar storms, they can be seen slightly closer to the equator. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, this means the colourful skies occur further south than usual.
This year, we can once again expect particularly strong northern lights, especially around the beginning of spring and end of summer, aka the spring and autumn equinoxes. This is because in 2024 the sun is becoming more active and entering the peak of an 11-year period known as ‘solar cycle 25’.
Don’t worry – this isn’t something to be worried about. This peak of activity won’t affect much on Earth beyond producing more pretty light shows.
If seeing the aurora is on your bucket list, the UK isn’t the best place to do it. Your chances increase the further north you go, so heading to the top of Iceland, Norway, or even the North Pole puts you in the best stead to catch these lights at their prime.
If you’re dead-set on catching the lights in the UK, your best chances are by keeping an eye on AuroraWatch and heading for a spot as far north and with as little light pollution as possible. Good luck!
Did you see that four UK cities are officially the best in the world- according to us!
Plus: the Royal Shakespeare Company is selling loads of cheap tickets right now.
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