A red alert has been issued by Lancaster University showing there is a high chance of seeing the Northern Lights tonight
The aurora borealis(Image: PA)
Stargazers across the UK could be in for a spectacular treat tonight after an aurora “red alert” was issued, meaning there is a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, produces one of nature’s most captivating visual displays, appearing as shimmering waves or curtains of colour, most commonly green, pink, and red. These striking lights occur when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, creating vivid patterns that have fascinated observers for centuries.
Lancaster University has issued a red alert for auroral activity, its highest level, indicating “aurora will likely be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.” The university’s monitoring system is currently detecting geomagnetic activity reaching around 280 nanotesla, a strong indication of heightened visibility.
The Met Office has also confirmed conditions from tonight onwards could allow people across the country to witness the display. While the best chances remain in northern Scotland, visibility is still possible further south, though gradually decreasing, reports the Mirror.
The Red Alert issued by the University of Lancaster(Image: @aurorawatchuk)
The national agency states: “The aurora oval is expected to be at or near background levels at first. The onset of the fast wind from a large coronal hole, either on Wednesday 3rd or Thursday 4th December is expected to enhance the auroral oval to lower latitudes.
“Following its arrival, aurora may be visible, where skies are sufficiently clear, mainly from northern Scotland, with a lower chance further south. A possible coronal mass ejection (CME) glance around a similar time may also cause increased enhancement, with aurora potentially visible further south still.”
The best places generally to see the lights are in areas closer to polar regions due to the Earth’s magnetic field directing particles towards the poles.
For this reason the Northern Lights can usually be seen better in Scotland, North England, North Wales and Northern Ireland. However, under severe space weather conditions, the lights can be seen throughout the UK.
But if it is your dream to see the Northern Lights and you miss out on this chance then maybe this winter could be the best moment for a trip to boost your chances of seeing it.
That’s because 2026 is expected to be the best year in a decade for Aurora viewing opportunities with January and February an ideal time.
Next year will bring with it a once-in-a-decade phenomenon; the solar maximum.
This rare event sees the Sun have heightened magnetic activity and scientists are expecting it to peak until March 2026, before fading again until the mid 2030s.
The good news is that you don’t need to head into the deep depths of the Arctic if you want to try and spot the lights.
There are plenty of European destinations including Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland where you can watch the Aurora because of their proximity to the Arctic Circle.
