The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis is returning to Scotland tonight and tomorrow, giving many across the country spectacular sights.
For two nights from Thursday, March 30 and Friday, March 31, the natural phenomena will be visible as solar winds from the sun race to Earth.
With solar winds hurtling towards our planet at speeds of 500 miles per second, those with clear skies may be in with some luck to see the lights.
With that said, here is how you can see the Northern Lights as they come to Scotland as well as the Met Office weather reports for Thursday and Friday night.
Why are the Northern Lights taking place this week?
The Northern Lights will be visible across much of Scotland because of solar winds hurtling towards Earth.
Kirsta Hammond from the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre said: “Minor solar storms are possible on Thursday and Friday night, which means aurora sightings would be possible in northern Scotland under clear skies.
“As this is a fairly minor solar storm, the auroras aren’t expected to be visible much further south on this occasion.”
These solar winds are being launched from an area of the Sun called a coronal hole which is a large dark region that is cooler than the surrounding areas.
When to see the Northern Lights as they come to Scotland
As said previously, the Aurora Borealis is likely to be visible on Thursday (March 30) and Friday (March 31).
This will be visible when it becomes dark at around 6:30 pm. However, weather is likely to play an important role in whether or not viewers will see the sight.
Where are the best places to see the Northern Lights in Scotland?
The best places to view the Northern Lights include areas of low light pollution with the darkest places offering the best views.
This means you will want to avoid towns and cities and set your sights towards the countryside where the lack of street lighting and human activity makes for better views.
You will also want somewhere with clear skies and high aurora activity, including areas in the far north of the country.
The Lights are expected to hit much of Scotland, meaning it should be visible in most places, assuming the weather is good.
🌧️ Showers are possible on Thursday morning, and these may be heavy, but overall it will be a much brighter start to the day than on Wednesday
— Met Office (@metoffice) March 29, 2023
🌤️ Scattered heavy downpours will develop by noon bringing some gusty winds, but in the sunny spells it will feel pleasantly warm pic.twitter.com/lBRQwMGe4p
What's the Met Office weather forecast for this week?
The Met Office weather forecast predicts that Thursday and Friday will see a mixture of sunny spells and cloudy conditions, limiting some views of the natural wonder.
The weekend will have similar conditions with Saturday being overcast and Sunday being cloudy with sunny spells.
The Northern Lights will be visible across parts of Scotland on Thursday, March 30, and Friday, March 31, 2023.
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