The Aurora Borealis is predicted to be visible from most of the UK tonight, according to forecasts.
As darkness falls, gaze northward to witness a gentle glow on the northern horizon. Cameras will capture vibrant colours, and there’s a possibility of tall, luminous spikes visible to the naked eye.
The phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights is a natural spectacle observed in polar regions. It results from the dynamic interplay between charged particles from the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. This captivating display is intricately linked to various factors:
Solar Wind:Â The sun emits a continuous stream of charged particles called the solar wind. Upon reaching Earth, this solar wind engages with the planet’s magnetic field.
Earth’s Magnetic Field:Â Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that exhibits areas of varying magnetism strength. The solar wind stimulates charged particles within the Earth’s magnetosphere, leading to light emission upon collision with atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Atmospheric Gases:Â The vibrant hues of the auroras are contingent on the types of gas particles present in Earth’s atmosphere and their respective altitudes. Oxygen at higher elevations creates red and green auroras, while nitrogen manifests as pink, violet, and blue colours in the display.
For the best chance to see them, you need to be in a dark spot. Use this dark skies map to find the least light-polluted areas in the UK.
https://www.cpre.org.uk/light-pollution-dark-skies-map/
It would be best if you also had clear skies. You can check the cloud cover on the Met Office website by using their cloud cover map.
To track the Aurora Borealis, you can use the Aurorawatch website and app. They have a cool feature where you can watch the Aurora from Shetlands live webcams.
https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/
Alternatively, you can download the My Aurora Forecast app.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-aurora-forecast-alerts/id1073082439
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrustonapps.myauroraforecast&hl=en_GB&gl=US
If you manage to catch some photos of the Northern Lights you can share them with us here https://thesouthyorkshirescoop.com/get-in-touch/