Multiple Red Alerts have been issued today and according to the monitoring group a Red Alert means: “It is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.”
Brits could be in for a treat tonight as Northern Lights activity ramps up with four red alerts already issued for today. AuroraWatch UK issued red alerts four times today. These have been issued when the geomagnetic activity has exceeded 200nT.
It happened today between 9am and 11am, then again from 4pm to 6pm, with alerts issued hourly. AuroraWatch UK takes geomagnetic activity measurements from the SAMNET and AuroraWatchNet magnetometers to automatically detect when it is likely that aurora can be seen from the UK. The colour-coded system has four levels. According to the monitoring group a Red Alert means: “It is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.”
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The Northern Lights are caused by huge explosions of activity from the Sun that throw out large amounts of charged particles in space, called solar wind. These giant explosions on the Sun are what’s called coronal mass ejections, which see particles flying away from the Sun at approximately one million miles per hour, according to the Met Office.
When they become caught by the Earth’s magnetic field they can then collide with gas molecules in the atmosphere to create a geomagnetic storm. Light is emitted from these collisions at various wavelengths, which form the breathtaking colourful displays in the sky.
Last year experts said there could be more sightings of the Northern Lights in 2025. Elizabeth J McGrath, from Colby College, said: “The sun has been very active recently, and we expect it to continue through 2025.
“Normally we only see the aurora at locations close to Earth’s magnetic north and south poles because charged particles from the sun get trapped by the Earth’s magnetic field and funnelled to the poles.
“With stronger solar storms during solar maximum, there are more charged particles from the sun, and when these particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field, they can be distributed farther from Earth’s north and south magnetic poles, reaching more southerly latitudes here on Earth.”
How to see the northern lights in the UK
According to the British Geological Survey (BGS), seeing the northern lights in the UK is ‘easier than you might think’. They advise: “All you need is a dark place, a clear sky and very good timing!”
They offer five main tips for anyone hoping to spot the aurora. The first is to find somewhere with clear, dark skies. According to the BGS: “The aurora sits 100s of kms up in the sky above the height of the clouds so you’ll need cloud-free skies. The sky also needs to be dark. Get away from streetlights. A bright full-moon will also wash out the light from faint aurora.”
Next up is location, with the BGS saying: “As the aurora usually sits north of the UK the further north you live in the UK the more chances you will have to see the lights. Those in the north of Scotland may see the aurora fairly often. While those who live in the south of England may see them rarely.
“Try to have a clear view to the north. A coastal location or on top of a hill may be good options to try. During extremely strong displays the aurora might be overhead, or to the south of your location so have a good look around.”
The third tip is all about timing, with the BGS advising: “Generally, the best chances of seeing the aurora is generally around the hours of local midnight, 10pm – 2am.
“However, the aurora may appear any time during the night depending on geomagnetic activity. There is also a seasonal effect with the strongest magnetic storms tending to happen around the spring and autumn equinoxes.”
And of course, viewers are advised to grab their cameras. The BGS explains: “A camera is more sensitive than our eyes and will pick up the colour of the aurora. A faint display may appear white or grey to the eye but a long-exposure photo will pick up the greens, reds or purples.
“Use a camera where you can manually set a exposure time. A lot of smartphones now have a night mode. Choose a long exposure time to collect the most light. To avoid camera shake consider using a tripod.”
And finally, the BGS warns there’s an element of luck when it comes to aurora spotting. They say: “While scientists can give advance warning of incoming solar storms which might trigger the aurora, it is not possible to accurately predict a precise time or place where the northern lights will appear. There’s always a bit of luck involved!”