Northern Lights turn UK skies pink and green - see Met Office aurora forecast for tonight
Watch the Met Office forecast, as the Northern Lights could be visible again in parts of the UK tonight.
UK skies were illuminated by the Northern Lights last night (Monday January 19), and could be visible again in parts of the country tonight (Tuesday January 20).
The Met Office says auroral activity is expected to decline by this evening, however it could still be visible in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and other similar latitudes.
Their aurora forecast reads: “A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that departed the Sun on 18 January reached Earth on the evening of 19 January UTC. G4/Severe geomagnetic storms were observed, producing widespread auroras visible across the UK, with reports extending as far south as northern Italy.
“By the evening of 20 January UTC, auroral activity is expected to decline, though it may still be visible in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and other similar latitudes with clear skies. Auroras are then forecast to return to background levels for the remainder of the period.”
Where exactly are the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights form in an oval around the North Pole in an area called the “auroral zone".
Areas in the “auroral zone” include north Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, the north of American state Alaska, and northern Siberia, in Russia.
What month is best to see the Northern Lights?
The best months to see the Northern Lights are September to late March, as these months have the longest dark hours and best viewing conditions.
Where in the UK can you see the Northern Lights?
The best places to see the Northern Lights in the UK are Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England. However, they have on occasion been spotted in the south of England.
