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Where can you see Northern Lights in England tonight

11 May 2024 , 22:17
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Where can you see Northern Lights in England tonight
Where can you see Northern Lights in England tonight

The Northern Lights will make a second appearance over the UK today with a major geomagnetic storm meaning those in Ireland are most likely to see the spectacle.

The aurora alert from UK's Aurorawatch remains on "red," indicating potential high-intensity activity tonight across the UK including Wales.

The Northern Lights may be visible again tonight as conditions are expected to be favourable, according to the Met Office. Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said the conditions that allowed the Northern Lights to appear on Friday night could be replicated on Saturday, but that the exact locations were still unknown.

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"We still have to work out some details on where exactly that will be," Mr Dixon said. The combination of clear skies and enhanced activity from the sun reaching Earth would improve the chances of seeing the display, he added.

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Chris Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, advised those hoping to see the lights on Saturday to head to an area with low light pollution and to use a good camera, adding: "The best chance you have of seeing the lights is if you are away from street lights and areas with lots of light pollution, as any type of light does have a big effect."

"Also, at this time of year, we are fighting the shorter length of nights, so it is unlikely that they will be visible until around 10.30pm or 11 o'clock when it gets really dark."

The best time to spot the Northern Lights tends to be between 10pm and 2am. Last night's sightings have reached as far as Ireland, with the Irish weather service Met Eireann posting images of the lights in Dublin and at Shannon Airport in Co Clare.

The good news for those who missed the main event that took place after midnight is that aurora activity is projected to resume this evening.

Although the geomagnetic storm may not hit the extreme level as it did on Friday, it still falls under the "strong" category.

Meteorologists forecast the weather to be favourable again tonight, allowing for the optimum viewing conditions for the auroras. However, sufficient darkness is key, so waiting until at least 22:30 BST would be recommended.

ITV News meteorologist and weather presenter, Chris Page expressed optimism about the chances of the Northern Lights being visible the whole of the UK including Wales this evening.

Chris Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said there were sightings "from top to tail across the country". He said: "It is hard to fully predict what will happen in the Earth's atmosphere, but there will still be enhanced solar activity tonight, so the lights could be visible again in northern parts of the UK, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and the far north of England."

Callum Hoare

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