Northern Lights in dazzling display across the UK
The Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, are gracing the skies of the UK in a rare display, bringing joy to observers across the nation. Enthusiastic spectators have been sharing images of this celestial phenomenon from various regions such as Liverpool, Kent, Norfolk, Sussex, and parts of Scotland.
These dazzling lights have emerged following one of the most powerful geomagnetic storms Earth has experienced in years, prompting the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to issue a rare solar storm warning. Such storms significantly elevate the likelihood of witnessing the Northern Lights.
However, the NOAA also cautioned that storms of this magnitude could potentially disrupt infrastructure, including satellites and the power grid. Despite these warnings, the BBC Weather reports that clear skies, similar to those seen on Friday evening, greatly enhance the chances of sighting the auroras from most areas of the UK.
Typically, residents of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England have a higher probability of witnessing this natural spectacle.
BBC Weather presenter Elizabeth Rizzini expressed excitement about the ideal viewing conditions, noting that while there may be some low cloud cover in certain areas such as East Anglia, the southwest of England, and the Lincolnshire coast, overall, the skies remain clear.
Rizzini also mentioned that while tonight presents an excellent opportunity, the Northern Lights may still be visible tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon remarked that favorable conditions may persist into Saturday night, although specifics on exact viewing locations are still being determined.
In the US, the NOAA said the lights might be seen as far south as Alabama and northern California.
The Northern Lights – or aurora borealis – appear as bright, swirling curtains of lights in the night sky and range in colour from green to pink and scarlet.
It is caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The colours occur due to different gases in the Earth’s atmosphere being energised by the charged particles.
The two most common gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen. Oxygen atoms glow green – the colour most often seen in the Northern Lights, while nitrogen atoms emit purple, blue and pink.
The most impressive auroras occur when the Sun emits really large clouds of particles called “coronal mass ejections”.
