There is a chance you may be able to see the Northern Lights tonight. Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, is one of the greatest natural light shows on earth and tops the bucket list for many travellers.
In a statement the Met Office said: “A combination of fast solar winds and the recent arrival of a Coronal Mass Ejection from the sun, could lead to the aurora being seen tonight, especially across the north of the UK.”
The lights are caused by energetic particles emitted from the sun. When these particles hit earth the magnetic field funnels them toward the poles, interacting with the atmosphere and depositing energy to create the colourful effect.
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Dark Sky Wales posted on Facebook: “There is a very good chance of auroral activity tonight!!!! If you have clear skies look North and you should get a good show (fingers crossed). It will be much better on cameras and phone cameras.”
A 75-year study from retired NASA solar physicist David Hathaway shows that March has more geomagnetically active days than any other month of the year. On average earth sees six days of high geomagnetic activity in March compared to just three in December.
The Northern Lights are produced by an active relationship between the Earth and the Sun that varies in intensity but never drops to zero. This means, they are always shining even if they are too faint to be visible.
All the planets that make up the Milky Way Solar System except for Mercury – the planet closest to the sun – experience some sort of Aurora. Jupiter can produce its own auroras using material from its volcanic moon Io, the most geologically active object in the Solar System, and Mars exhibits strange ‘proton’ auroras. Auroras have even been found on other stars in the Galaxy.
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William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
