The Northern Lights are expected to return to UK skies on the night of Saturday 21 March, following a stunning display that illuminated parts of the country as far south as Norfolk on Friday 20 March.
The beautiful natural display, known as the Aurora Borealis, is caused by a geomagnetic storm triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME), in which waves of charged particles erupt from the Sun’s surface and interact with the Earth’s atmosphere.
Oxygen emits green, while nitrogen emits reds, blues and pinks, and this is what has brought us the brilliant display of color that has mesmerized sky watchers in Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England and Wales.
Weather watchers have reported seeing the Northern Lights in North Wales, Powys and even the Norfolk coast.
According to Met Office space weather analysts, geomagnetic activity is expected to remain elevated until Saturday night, with the possibility of reaching another “strong storm” level.
This suggests that the aurora could be visible in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern areas of England and Wales, with a small chance of sightings further south.
But clouds can obscure views in some areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Clear skies are expected to provide better viewing opportunities.
On Friday, the northern lights aligned with the spring equinox, improving visibility due to the Russell-McPherron effect.
This occurs when Earth’s magnetic field coincides with incoming solar winds, generally making it strongest around the equinoxes.
