There’s a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights in Scotland tonight, forecasters have confirmed.
Anyone who wants to catch the night-time spectacle is being advised to look up tonight, especially in Northern Scotland.
Clear skies will make for perfect viewing conditions to see the aurora throughout Thursday night and Friday morning with geometric activity rising
A Met Office spokesperson said: “The auroral oval is likely to become enhanced during the night-time period.
“A coronal mass ejection (CME) is forecast to arrive at Earth Thursday night into Friday. Aurora sightings may become visible across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England and similar geomagnetic latitudes.”
According to the forecaster, the best chance of seeing the aurora will be between midnight and 4 am on Friday morning.
It's been a summer to remember for stargazers with tonight being one of multiple occasions the Northern Lights have been visible in Scotland.
Just last month the aurora Borealis was intensified by a powerful coronal mass ejection alongside the perseid meteor shower, with as many as 100 meteors being visible every hour.
The meteor shower was associated with debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle which orbits the sun every 133 years.
You might want to look up at the sky tonight because there's the chance of seeing the aurora 🌟
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 12, 2024
Clear skies for most overnight will make for ideal viewing conditions, with sightings possible across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England ✨ pic.twitter.com/ewAGUPrqyd
READ MORE: Scotland's weather to see cold snap and snow on hills and peaks
What are the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights are caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth's atmosphere.
The colours occur due to different gases in the Earth's atmosphere being energised by the charged particles.
Nitrogen and oxygen are the two most common gases in the atmosphere, with nitrogen emitting purple, blue and pink colours and oxygen emitting green.
Tips for seeing the Northern Lights in Scotland
Here are some handy tips from the Met Office for seeing the Northern Lights as they return to Scotland and the UK.
- You need a clear night with no cloud cover
- Find a dark location with no light pollution
- Look toward the northern horizon
- Be patient as these can appear late into the night or early in the morning
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