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Northern Lights could be visible TODAY as 'red alert' issued

18 May 2024 , 07:45
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Find out what causes the Northern Lights
Find out what causes the Northern Lights

THE Northern Lights could be visible from the UK again tonight.

The Aurora Borealis dazzled the nation last weekend, with a stunning display of colourful lights being spotted as far as Essex, Cambridgeshire and Berkshire.

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Brits could get another glimpse of the Northern Lights tonightCredit: Reuters
Last week's stunning display could be seen as far south as Minster on Sea in Kent
Last week's stunning display could be seen as far south as Minster on Sea in KentCredit: Alamy

They were also seen in Suffolk, Kent, Hampshire and Liverpool.

Sightings 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.

And now, northern parts of the country may yet be able to catch another glimpse of the phenomenon.

A "red alert" has been issued - meaning aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.

AuroraWatch UK, which is run by scientists in the Space and Planetary Physics group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics, explained:  "Aurora is likely to be visible by eye from Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland; possibly visible from elsewhere in the UK.

"Photographs of aurora are likely from anywhere in the UK."

The Met Office space weather department says "enhancement to the aurora is likely into early May 18" in the Northern Hemisphere.

They added: "The aurora may become visible as far south as parts of Scotland where skies are clear.

"Mainly background aurora conditions are expected thereafter."


The visibility of the Northern Lights was increased because of an "extreme" geomagnetic storm, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NOAA said the G5 geomagnetic storm, which is considered extreme and is the strongest level of geomagnetic storm, hit earth last Thursday.

The cause of this storm was a "large, complex" sunspot cluster and is 17 times the diameter of earth, with the last storm with a G5 rating hitting earth in October 2003, causing power outages in Sweden.

Sarah Grealish

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