Northern Lights may be visible across UK tonight as amber alert issued
The Northern Lights may be visible in UK this evening as an amber alert was sounded by AuroraWatch UK.
The good news for those who missed the main event last month with a repeat of the extravaganza possible tonight. The Northern Lights dazzled Brits across the country in May with thousands taking to social media wowed by the extraordinary sky display.
Also known as aurora borealis, the bands of pink and green light were seen across the UK and in parts of Europe last month after an extreme geomagnetic storm caused them to be more visible, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
AuroraWatch UK, which monitors activity of the aurora borealis, says that "it is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK". AuroraWatch, which is run by scientists in the Space and Planetary Physics group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics, issued a further alert tonight.
The amber alert for possible aurora was issued tonight
Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles. In the northern hemisphere, most of this activity takes place within a band known as the aurora oval, covering latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees.
When activity is strong, this expands to cover a greater area – which explains why displays can be occasionally seen as far south as the UK. AuroraWatch also issued a note of caution, saying: "Please note that even if we issue an alert, local conditions will still need to be right for you to see aurora. For more information on what conditions you’ll need, please read our blog entry.
The Northern Lights
"Our alerts are completely automated; they are issued when the disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field reaches certain thresholds. This, of course, can occur at any time of the day even though the aurora itself can only been seen during darkness."
Amateur photographer Anne Wilkie was able to capture the lights on her iPhone last month, and shared some tips to get the best photo photo of the mesmerising phenomenon.
She said: "I found that the camera is very sensitive and picks up the colours so much more than the naked eye, so, if you think you see light in the sky, point the camera in the direction and the pinks, greens and purples should show on the screen, if you're lucky."