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The chances of catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights in the UK are possible anytime from now, forecasters say, after a red alert was issued by researchers
By Callum Hoare
You can see the Northern Lights tonight (Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)
The possibility of witnessing the Northern Lights in the UK is on the horizon, according to weather forecasters. Researchers monitoring aurora borealis activity have issued a red alert, indicating that clear skies in certain areas throughout the night could provide an opportunity for this celestial spectacle.
AuroraWatch UK, a tool operated by Lancaster University, has announced: "Red alert: aurora likely", pinpointing the Shetland Islands as the prime location for viewing.
Intriguingly, a sky-watcher in London managed to capture a rare sighting of the Northern Lights on Wednesday night. The photograph, believed to have been taken near the River Thames, depicts a radiant red glow illuminating the clear sky.
Tonight's forecast also predicts clear skies, particularly in eastern regions. The Met Office has released a detailed graphic illustrating the likelihood of observing the latest aurora borealis across the UK.
As is often the case, residents of Scotland and Northern Ireland are most likely to experience the display, with peak conditions anticipated around midnight.
Skies will be lit up (Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)
Clear skies are expected to further enhance the chances of enjoying the mesmerising aurora. Even those located further south may still be able to witness the Northern Lights this evening, the Met Office suggests.
"Look north in the coming nights and you may spot the #NorthernLights. A coronal mass ejection from the sun is earth bound and whilst there's some uncertainty on its arrival time, sightings of the #aurora are likely in northern areas with a slight chance in the south too," reads a post by the Met Office on X, formerly Twitter, this afternoon.
The Mirror has published a graphic as a video above, indicating that the probability of witnessing the aurora borealis will be near 100% for those residing in the Shetland Islands and the northern tip of mainland Scotland.
For those in the Scottish Highlands and the tip of Northern Ireland, the chances stand at around 50%, and while it's less likely further south, it's still possible. The Met Office warns of rain across parts of Scotland tonight but assures it'll be "largely dry elsewhere, with lengthy clear spells".
Cloud cover typically reduces the chances of viewing the Northern Lights.
On its website, the Met Office explains: "The Northern Lights occur as a consequence of solar activity and result from collisions of charged particles in the solar wind colliding with molecules in the Earth's upper atmosphere."
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"Solar winds are charged particles that stream away from the Sun at speeds of around one million miles per hour. When the magnetic polarity of the solar wind is opposite to the Earth's magnetic field, the two magnetic fields combine allowing these energetic particles to flow into the Earth's magnetic north and south poles."
"Auroras usually occur in a band called the annulus (a ring about 1,865 miles across) centred on the magnetic pole. The arrival of a Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) from the Sun can cause the annulus to expand, bringing the aurora to lower latitudes. It is under these circumstances that the lights can be seen in the UK."
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Met Office Auroras Northern Lights
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