In the UK this week, the Met Office has announced that one night for the aurora borealis or northern lights will be visible. The view may however be blurred by cloud cover.
Northern lights could become visible in certain parts of the UK on Wednesday night, 24th July due to a geomagnetic storm that is expected this week.
Such geomagnetic storms are generated by solar flares also called Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). CMEs are immense outbursts of plasma and magnetic fields from the outer atmosphere of the Sun, which can distort Earth’s magnetic field. Under such circumstances, it can be seen at lower latitudes than normal.
Where and When to Watch the Aurora!
According to the Space Weather forecast by the Met Office, there is a possibility of noticing Aurora in northern England and Northern Island.
The forecast states:
Two CMEs feature in the forecast, giving a peak chance of Strong Geomagnetic Storm (G3) conditions on Wednesday 24 July. This may result in auroral displays down to Northern Ireland, northern England and similar geomagnetic latitudes, albeit impeded by the near-full moon and limited hours of darkness.
To witness aurora, one requires very clear dark skies; hence a nearly full moon could make it tough. For higher possibilities of seeing the lights, one should go to low light polluted areas.
The weather forecast for tonight anticipates that there will be cloud cover throughout most parts of the UK, making it an overcast night. Nevertheless, gaps in clouds may allow glimpses of aurora.
Optimal Viewing Times
Northern lights are best seen after midnight, although they can start as early as dusk. The time between 10 PM and midnight, however, appears to be the window when they often peak as suggested by AuroraWatch UK because this is a period when usually subsides auroras.
It is difficult to predict exactly when these northern lights will appear. Most enthusiasts would rather keep track of alerts indicating high activity than standing outside all night long. It will also improve your chances of witnessing this stunning natural phenomenon if you watch out for these alerts.