Northern Lights visible across parts of UK tonight
Individuals signed up with BBC Weather Watchers have been sharing their photos, such as this image taken in Nairn, located in the Highlands.
The Northern Lights made an appearance in some areas of the UK on Thursday night, just as weather experts had predicted.
The aurora borealis, commonly referred to as the Northern Lights, lit up the night sky in various regions, including parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and even as far south as Sussex on the coast of England.
Weather experts indicated that the greatest likelihood of spotting the lights would be during the earlier part of Thursday night, with a reduced chance of viewing them later on.
BBC Weather expert John Hutchinson mentioned that this event has been observed as far south as Kent.
It was a lovely evening for camping in the secluded village of Carnach, situated in the Highlands.
Situated overlooking the seaside village of Anstruther in Fife.
Much further down, this picture was captured in Selsey, located in West Sussex.
Previously, weather experts mentioned that the clear skies across much of the UK would create perfect conditions for viewing, even though the temperatures were lower.
Mr. Hutchinson mentioned that the chilly conditions are expected to persist through the night, with some areas potentially reaching freezing temperatures of 0°C (32°F), particularly in southern and eastern Scotland, as well as northern England.
He mentioned that the temperatures were lower than usual for mid-September, but went on to say, "Overall, we can expect temperatures to bounce back in the next few days."
On Thursday morning, Jonathan Vautrey, a meteorologist from the Met Office, encouraged enthusiastic watchers to gaze toward the northern horizon and wish for clear skies above.
"Tonight should have perfect weather since there won't be much cloud cover," he mentioned.
At times, it can be simpler to observe things with a camera or telescope when you have access to them.
Weather Observers/The Wandering Deer
The horizon above Pen-y-Ghent in the Yorkshire Dales, featuring a limestone plateau in the foreground.
"While iPhones aren't the greatest for nighttime photography, I was still excited to capture the northern lights over Cromer beach this evening," shared a Weather Watcher from Norfolk.
Auroras happen when charged particles from the sun interact with gases in the Earth's atmosphere near the magnetic poles.
When they come together, they produce light at different wavelengths, resulting in vibrant colors appearing in the sky.
In the northern part of the globe, a lot of this activity occurs close to the Arctic Circle.
When solar activity is high, it can spread out over a larger area, which is why sometimes these displays can be spotted as far south as the UK.
In mid-August, the lights could be seen as far south as Cornwall, and in May, there was a similarly impressive display across the UK and globally.
The heightened visibility in the UK during these times resulted from the Sun being at a peak level of activity.
Mr. Vautrey mentioned that there’s another opportunity to catch a glimpse of the lights from Friday night into Saturday. However, the latest weather predictions indicate that the likelihood of spotting the aurora may be lower than it is on Thursday.
