THE NORTHERN Lights are expected to dance over large parts of the UK tonight as a coronal mass ejection from the Sun collides with Earth.
The Met Office says a “strong” G3 geomagnetic storm may lead to some aurora sightings over the UK.
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However, the forecaster warned that cloud cover may scupper the view.
“The aurora is expected to be at normal background levels until the arrival of a Coronal Mass Ejection, most likely later on Tuesday UTC (15 Apr) and continuing into Wednesday (16 Apr),” the Met Office wrote in its report.
“This is likely to bring the auroral oval to northern parts of the UK and similar geomagnetic latitudes, with a chance of some visibility towards the northern horizon for much of England.”
People in the north of Northern Ireland and Scotland are best-placed to see tonight’s display.
READ MORE ON NORTHERN LIGHTS
But even if you’re further south, the Met Office says you might still be able to catch the view with a decent camera.
“Cameras help as the long exposure allows loads of light in and enhances the colours more than the human eye can see,” a Met Office spokesperson said.
Tonight’s aurora stems from a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a massive plume of plasma spat out from the Sun’s corona, its outermost layer.
The display, known as aurora borealis, will likely continue into Wednesday.
That means if you miss it tonight, you’ll have another opportunity tomorrow.
Tricks to see the Northern Lights
Avoid light pollution
Avoiding the glow of a city and street lamps is crucial.
Heading to a rural area – if you’re not based there already – will grant the best views.
If you are unable to escape light pollution, fear not.
During strong solar storms, the colours of the aurora can be seen even in heavily light-polluted skies.
Get a clear skyline
Having a clear view of the sky is also key – so avoid sitting too close to trees or buildings.
The more sky you see, the more chance you have of catching the aurora.
Snap a picture
Sometimes, aurora can appear white to the human eye.
It can help to take a quick photo on your phone to help reveal the colours.
If you’re planning on photographing the aurora properly, you’ll need a DSLR or bridge camera and ideally a tripod.
Wait it out
Experts have also advised that hopeful watchers not be too disheartened if the aurora looks dim at first.
This is because they usually brighten over the course of a few hours.
Auroras – how do they work?
Here’s the official explanation from Nasa…
- The dancing lights of the auroras provide spectacular views on the ground, but also capture the imagination of scientists who study incoming energy and particles from the sun
- Auroras are one effect of such energetic particles, which can speed out from the sun both in a steady stream called the solar wind and due to giant eruptions known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs
- After a trip toward Earth that can last two to three days, the solar particles and magnetic fields cause the release of particles already trapped near Earth, which in turn trigger reactions in the upper atmosphere in which oxygen and nitrogen molecules release photons of light
- The result: the Northern and Southern lights.
