The Northern Lights will be visible in parts of the UK tonight (Tuesday, November 11) due to a current solar radiation storm, according to the Met Office
Sky-watchers throughout the UK are in for a spectacular treat tonight (Tuesday, November 11) as they’ll have the chance to witness the Northern Lights thanks to an ongoing solar radiation storm. The Met Office has predicted that a ‘Coronal Mass Ejection’ (CME) will reach Earth today, bringing with it the potential for aurora displays to illuminate our skies.
This follows the Met Office’s Space Weather forecast, revealing that solar activity hit elevated levels during a ‘long duration Strong flare’ yesterday. The powerful flare triggered the CME, which is anticipated to strike our planet.
The Met Office has also confirmed that a geomagnetic storm will persist from 6pm on November 11 through to midnight on November 13, keeping alive the prospects of Northern Lights sightings throughout this timeframe. The duration and strength of the storm could also mean that Earth-directed projections might persist in the coming days.
In its aurora prediction for the Northern Hemisphere, encompassing the UK, the Met Office stated: “The expected arrival of two Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) later on Tuesday and into Wednesday (UTC) is likely to bring the potential for visible aurora across parts of northern UK and similar geomagnetic latitudes, given clear skies.
“Visible aurora perhaps possible further south given ideal viewing conditions and equipment. Activity then becoming more generally restricted to higher latitudes Into Thursday and Friday (UTC).”
When and where to see the Northern Lights
If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, your best bet is to find an elevated location that’s as dark as possible. Ideally, you’ll want to be in a remote area, far from any light pollution.
The lights can appear at any time after darkness falls, but according to AuroraWatch UK, they’re most likely to be seen between 10pm and midnight. This is when aurora substorms generally tend to peak.
While the Northern Lights do frequently make appearances in parts of the country, it does require a bit of luck to actually spot them with the naked eye – even in Scandinavia. Many photographers use a tripod and long exposure length to capture images of the Aurora, which makes the lights appear brighter and more spectacular in photographs.
The Met Office has highlighted that a ‘visible’ aurora will be more likely in southern parts of the UK this time around, due to better weather viewing conditions.