Alert! A strong geomagnetic storm is approaching the UK (and, for that matter, Earth). In other words, the northern lights will be casting magical streaks of green, yellow and pink across our skies very soon.
2024 has been a magnificent year for catching the illuminations from right here on British soil. Now, the Met Office has predicted yet another visit from the aurora borealis, following a series of solar flares.
A solar flare is basically a massive burst of radiation from the sun being released into space. When those charged solar particles collide with atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere, they create the stunning colourful lights that we know as aurora borealis.
Stargazers in Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland are in with the best chance of seeing the spectacle. It’ll be around from tonight (October 4) until Sunday October 6, but the Met Office advises that Saturday October 5 will be the optimum night to get out and look up. In a statement, it said: ‘Saturday night has the greatest likelihood of aurora being visible, with a chance that aurora may be visible further south, across central England and similar latitudes.’
If you’re hoping to see the display, make sure you’re somewhere with minimal light pollution and a sky clear of clouds, one of these places could be a good bet. Stay up to date on the lights’ activity by checking on AuroraWatch website. And if you simply can’t get enough of aurora borealis, these are best places in the world to see them over and over.
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