You could see the spectacular lights without any specialist equipment
Northern Lights over Crosby Beach on Merseyside(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
The Northern Lights may be visible across much of the UK this week. The Met Office’s Space Weather agency has shared a promising update for anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the magnificent display of lights.
The lights are rare to see from the UK and if they do appear, are mostly seen in northern areas of the region, including Scotland and the Shetland Islands. The Met Office update comes after a fast-moving Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that departed the Sun late on August 30.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) is an enormous cloud of electrically charged gas, called plasma, that erupts from the Sun. A single coronal mass ejection can blast billions of tons of material into the solar system all at once.
CMEs occur in the outer atmosphere of the Sun, called the corona, and often look like giant bubbles bursting from the Sun. When it hits Earth, it can cause Northern Light displays as charged particles interact with atoms and molecules in Earth’s atmosphere.
Solar storms and their related phenomena all wax and wane with the Sun’s 11-year cycle of activity. The Met Office’s Space Weather Agency says the fast-moving CME is forecast to arrive at Earth on late September 1, or early on September 2 (tomorrow).
Further information for visibility in the northern hemisphere states: “Following its arrival, a significant enhancement of the auroral oval is likely, potentially continuing into September 3.
“At peak activity, and where skies are sufficiently dark and clear, aurora may be visible across much of the UK, potentially without the need for photographic equipment. However, a waxing gibbous Moon may hinder visibility in some areas.”
In its four-day space weather forecast, it adds: “With minimal response observed so far from the solar wind stream associated with equatorial CH74/-, geomagnetic activity is expected to remain predominantly Low.
“However, upon arrival of the anticipated CME, geomagnetic conditions are likely to intensify, with G2–G3 (Moderate to Strong) storm levels expected, and a chance of reaching G4 (Severe) levels.”
The map below shows the aurora forecast for midnight, Wednesday September 3. The image shows most of the UK under a red colour. The colour indicates a chance of up to 90% of seeing the Northern Lights. The map also covers the UK with red on September 1 and September 2 – with 9pm being the earliest time.
Met Office picture shows the Northern Lights are forecast to have high visibility across UK this week (September 3 pictured)(Image: Met Office)
CMEs can wreak havoc with power grids, telecommunication networks and orbiting satellites and expose astronauts to dangerous doses of radiation. The biggest flares are known as “X-class flares” based on a classification system that divides solar flares according to their strength. The smallest ones are A-class
Remote, open areas with views of the northern horizon are best for sightings, with the lights unlikely to be visible until it gets very dark. The Sun is currently at the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, known as its solar maximum period. This is a result of the star’s magnetic poles flipping, which causes it to transition to an active and stormy state
The most active region on the Sun is currently rotating to face Earth, leading to forecasts of more significant space weather. NASA observes the sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere and the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.
If they’re directed at Earth, flares and associated CMEs can create long-lasting radiation storms that can harm satellites, communications systems, and even ground-based technologies and power grids, warns NASA.