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Millions of Brits set to get another chance at seeing Northern Lights tonight

Home> News> UK News> Weather

Updated 16:32 12 Aug 2024 GMT+1Published 16:24 12 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Millions of Brits set to get another chance at seeing Northern Lights tonight

The Met Office has issued guidance on your chances of seeing the Northern Lights in the UK

Tom Earnshaw

Tom Earnshaw

Millions of Brits will be given the chance to view the Northern Lights as the aurora borealis shines bright across the northern hemisphere.

It comes after a series of events in space known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). This is where massive geomagnetic storms are created by the Sun, following huge solar eruptions on its surface, pushing out into the void of space.

According to the USA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), two of these took place last Wednesday (7 August), followed by one on Thursday.

And now, a fourth has flared up on Saturday, causing a geomagnetic aftermath back on Earth from the Monday evening in to Tuesday (12 to 13 August).

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The UK's official weather and climate service, the Met Office, has confirmed that the incident should cause a geomagnetic storm on the northern hemisphere of the planet, resulting in a large flare up of the famous Northern Lights.

As a result, millions in the UK are being urged to look to the skies on Monday night to catch a glimpse just as we did in May earlier this year.

Those residing in Scotland will have the best chance of seeing the aurora borealis, which should come as no surprise give its the most northern part of the country.

Northern Lights in Scotland. (Getty Stock Images)
Northern Lights in Scotland. (Getty Stock Images)

But those in northern England - from Carlisle to Newcastle - could also catch a glimpse, as well as people living on the Isle of Man and in Northern Ireland.

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In a statement, the Met Office said: "Ongoing Coronal Mass Ejection influence will persist but wane during the afternoon of Monday 12th August."

Another coronal mass ejection enhancement is likely late 12 or early 13 August, this will bring a chance of visible aurora to Scotland and parts of Northern England overnight.

Just stunning. (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
Just stunning. (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

"Later 13 August activity should return back to background levels, with significant enhancements currently unlikely and any visible aurora restricted to far northern Scotland."

The Met Office says the best way to capture the Northern Lights is via your smartphone, with the aurora able to be caught on camera or film even when your eyes can't visualise it.

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A spokesperson said: "Cameras help as the long exposure allows loads of light in and enhances the colours more than the human eye can see.

Millions could catch a glimpse. (Narciso Contreras/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Millions could catch a glimpse. (Narciso Contreras/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"That is why you see pictures as far south as Cornwall sometimes though you’re unlikely to see it with the naked eye that far south."

It comes at the same time as the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.

From 11 to 12 August, the shower has been lighting up the night skies as fragments from the Comet Swift-Tuttle burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

Featured Image Credit: Michael Seamans/Getty Images

Topics: Environment, Weird, Space, Science, UK News, World News

Tom Earnshaw
Tom Earnshaw

Tom joined LADbible Group in 2024, currently working as SEO Lead across all brands including LADbible, UNILAD, SPORTbible, Tyla, UNILAD Tech, and GAMINGbible. He moved to the company from Reach plc where he enjoyed spells as a content editor and senior reporter for one of the country's most-read local news brands, LancsLive. When he's not in work, Tom spends his adult life as a suffering Manchester United supporter after a childhood filled with trebles and Premier League titles. You can't have it all forever, I suppose.

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@TREarnshaw

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