Northern Lights to stretch to UK and US tonight after huge solar storm
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The aurora borealis is expected to be visible in England on Wednesday night due to a strong geomagnetic storm, as predicted by the UK Met Office.
A burst of plasma from the Sun called a coronal mass ejection (CME) is expected to cause the northern lights to be visible in the US, with astronomers saying they may be visible from New York and other northern states.
According to the Space Weather forecast from the Met Office, there will be a celestial show from Tuesday evening until Wednesday at midnight. But the weather in various areas of the UK might not be perfect for viewing.
The forecast said that a coronal mass ejection is expected to reach us on the morning of 24 July, increasing the chances of experiencing Strong Geomagnetic Storm (G3) conditions.
This could lead to sightings of auroras reaching as far south as Northern Ireland, northern England, and other areas with similar geomagnetic latitudes. However, the brightness of the nearly full moon and the limited amount of dark hours may hinder visibility.
According to the Met Office, the ideal conditions for seeing the northern lights are when the sky is dark and cloud-free.
The latest predictions indicate that the majority of the UK will have cloudy skies on Wednesday evening. However, areas in the US and Canada that are near the northern lights will have better weather conditions for viewing the spectacular natural phenomenon.
According to the UK weather agency's website, the ideal way to view the lights is in dark, isolated areas with minimal light pollution, facing the northern horizon. Coastal areas facing north are known for providing some of the best spots for viewing the lights.
Most of the time, the northern lights are most commonly seen in Scotland, Northern England, North Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, during intense space weather events, it is possible to spot the lights all across the UK.
Tamitha Skov, a specialist in space weather, explained that it is difficult to determine the precise timing of the northern lights because of the slow movement of solar wind and an unexpected solar storm that arrived before the coronal mass ejection.
The scientist mentioned that the effects of the solar storm are expected to be delayed.
