Always wanted to see the northern lights but don’t fancy trekking up to the Arctic? You’re in luck. The UK is currently witnessing tonnes of geomagnetic activity, with the past weekend (May 10-13) seeing the lights appear across huge parts of the UK. They were seen up and down the land, from Scotland to Cornwall, and even in London – which is usually too far south and has too much light pollution.
Aurora borealis (as the lights are otherwise known) is more commonly seen in far northern parts of the country like Scotland and Northern Ireland. Nationwide displays are a very rare occurrence indeed, as are sightings in northern England.
While we’re slightly out-of-season to normally catch the lights, a very rare severe solar storm meant that they were recently visible throughout much of the country. Over the past few days further warnings have been issued about higher levels of geomagnetic activity, while more is expected in the coming weeks.
Want to get a glimpse of the fabled phenomenon? Fret not. We’ve got all the info right here to give you the best chances of seeing the dancing illuminations. Below is everything you need to know about spotting aurora borealis here in the UK.
What are the northern lights?
The northern lights generally appear in high latitude regions such as the Arctic or Scandinavia.
Their colourful glow is caused by a stream of charged particles that have escaped the sun (known as solar wind) interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field. The particles hit our atmosphere at high speed and combine with oxygen and nitrogen to create a multicoloured burst. A green glow is associated with oxygen while nitrogen causes the appearance of purple, blue and pink.
How to see the northern lights in the UK
Last weekend (May 10-13) the lights were visible across the entire country in an unprecedented and rare display. Aurorawatch continues to indicate that there continues to be some level of geomagnetic activity, even if it isn’t as high as last week.
Lights are often visible to the naked eye throughout much of Scotland. The further north you go, the better your chances. Southern areas of Scotland, England and Wales are also sometimes able to catch sight of the aurora, though typically only in rural areas with little light pollution.
Want to see it? Conditions in the sky need to be as clear and cloud-free as possible. Try to find a dark location with as little light pollution as possible. For optimum viewing, face the northern horizon.
What’s the best time to see the aurora?
The lights are viewable after dark (check your local sunset/sunrise times for exact timings). The best sightings are usually when the skies are darkest.
When will the northern lights be visible again?
The lights may put on another massive display very soon. According to the BBC, the same sunspot cluster that caused the spectacular lights of May 10-13 will come back around in around two weeks. In other words, another peak is likely around May 31 to June 2.
Otherwise, the chance to see this wonder of nature doesn’t come around too often and the lights are notoriously hard to predict. Predictions change for different parts of the northern hemisphere, too. But it’s worth knowing the late September to mid-March is typically thought of as the best period to see the lights and is what some like to call ‘aurora season’.
To keep an eye on the lights’ activity you can look at the AuroraWatch website. Don’t fancy waiting around? Here’s our list of the best places in the world to catch a glimpse of the northern lights.
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