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Sky gazers in the UK are advised to watch the skies tonight for a potential sighting of the Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis. This spectacular natural phenomenon paints the night sky with vibrant, fluorescent colours.
Understanding the Aurora Borealis
The Met Office attributes this week’s aurora to a ‘high-speed stream’ (HSS) of solar wind originating from a coronal hole—an opening in the sun’s outer atmosphere. These streams of charged particles interact with the Earth’s atmosphere to create the aurora borealis.
Viewing Opportunities Across the UK
Prime Locations
While predicting the aurora’s visibility is not precise, the general rule is: the further north, the better your chances. Scotland offers the most favourable viewing locations. However, there’s also potential for naked-eye sightings as far south as Newcastle and Belfast.
Capturing the Lights with Technology
Even if the aurora isn’t clearly visible to the naked eye, those equipped with smartphone cameras may still be able to capture it. Long exposure settings on cameras enhance the colours, often revealing more than the human eye can perceive.
Photographs taken in the early hours of Wednesday already show the aurora over parts of Britain, and experts suggest a repeat performance tonight.
A Met Office spokesperson explained, ‘Cameras are beneficial because their long exposure setting gathers more light, intensifying the colours beyond what is immediately visible to the human eye.’
‘This explains why photographs sometimes emerge from as far south as Cornwall, even though naked-eye sightings are unlikely at that latitude.’
Geographic Visibility Forecast
Scotland and Northern England
The Met Office indicates that northern Scotland remains the prime viewing area, with a ‘slight chance’ of sightings across southern Scotland and similar latitudes.
A spokesperson told MailOnline there’s a chance of visibility extending further south tonight, possibly into the far north of England, although camera long exposure shots would likely be necessary for optimal viewing.
Cloud Cover Considerations
Unfortunately, cloud cover is expected to obscure views for many, especially across western and central Scotland overnight due to anticipated rain.
Thursday Night Outlook
Looking ahead to Thursday night, sightings over northern regions of the UK remain a possibility. However, similar to Wednesday night, cloud and rain may limit viewing opportunities for many.
‘Heavy rain and cloud will gradually shift from the northwest towards the southeast on Thursday night,’ the spokesperson stated.
‘This means viewing will be hampered for many, with the north of Scotland potentially offering the best chance once the weather front has passed.’
Optimal Viewing Times and Conditions
Auroras are most frequently observed shortly after sunset or before sunrise and are not visible during daylight.
To maximise your chances of witnessing these stunning displays, seek out dark locations away from urban light pollution, such as streetlights, and hope for clear, cloud-free skies.
Elevated locations, further from city lights that contribute to sky glow, often provide the best aurora viewing spots in the UK.
Extended Auroral Activity
This auroral display might extend into Thursday and Friday nights due to the ongoing ‘high-speed stream’ (HSS) emanating from the coronal hole.
The Science Behind Coronal Holes and Auroras
Coronal Holes and Solar Wind
Coronal holes are recognised as darker, cooler, and less dense areas within the sun’s corona – its outermost atmospheric layer.
From these coronal holes, high-speed solar wind streams, composed of highly charged particles, can escape at speeds approaching one million miles per hour.
Atmospheric Interaction
Upon reaching Earth, these charged particles are guided by the planet’s magnetic field lines towards the north and south poles, entering our atmosphere.
Here, the particles collide with atmospheric gases, resulting in the spectacular light shows known as auroras.
Aurora Colours
The colours within the auroral display are determined by the type of gas molecules interacting with the charged particles. Oxygen interactions typically produce red and green hues, nitrogen often results in pink and red, while hydrogen and helium contribute to blue and purple shades.
Global Aurora Visibility
North America
In North America, there is a diminished probability of seeing the aurora tonight, although observers in Canada and Alaska might still catch a glimpse.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has classified the event as ‘G0’ on a scale of one to five, indicating it will be predominantly far north, faint in intensity, and not highly active.
Southern Hemisphere: Aurora Australis
Conversely, in the southern hemisphere, where the phenomenon is known as aurora australis, the spectacle could be visible across Tasmania and Southern New Zealand under clear skies.
Space Weather and Potential Impacts
While auroras pose no direct threat to humans, the associated particle streams can potentially disrupt power grids and orbiting satellites, leading to internet outages.
The European Space Agency (ESA) cautions, ‘Although Earth has experienced harmful space weather events in the past, our increasing reliance on technologies susceptible to solar disturbances means future solar impacts could be significantly more disruptive.’
Tips for Aurora Viewing
For optimal viewing of the Northern Lights, consider these tips:
- Head North: Proximity to the poles increases visibility.
- Check the Forecast: Cloudless skies are essential for clear viewing.
- Escape City Lights: Light pollution diminishes aurora visibility.
- Stay Up Late: The best viewing times are typically between 11 PM and 2 AM.
- Utilise Your Smartphone Camera: Cameras can capture auroras not visible to the naked eye.
What are Auroras?
Auroras, both Northern and Southern Lights, are natural light displays occurring in our atmosphere.
Specifically, Aurora Borealis refers to the ‘dawn of the north,’ and Aurora Australis is the ‘dawn of the south.’
These light shows are triggered when electrically charged particles from the sun enter Earth’s atmosphere.
Generally, Earth’s magnetic field deflects these particles, sometimes referred to as a solar storm.
However, during stronger solar events, particles penetrate the atmosphere and collide with gas particles, including oxygen and nitrogen.
These collisions generate light, with pale green and pink being common colours in auroral displays.