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The spectacular natural phenomenon that is the Northern Lights could be visible this week in the far south of Scotland, central England, Wales and parts of Northern Ireland.
A series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and a massive solar storm from the sun will hit Earth in the coming days, causing the multicolored light show to extend farther from the Arctic Circle than usual.
The Met Office’s Space Weather division said the first CME would deliver a “blinking blow” tonight, while the second is likely to have a “more direct impact.”
It means that Aurora borealis can be visible all over Scotland, as well as possibly in Northern Ireland and much of Northern England.
There is also a chance it could be seen in North Wales and central England, the Met Office said.
Wow: The spectacular natural phenomenon that is the Northern Lights may be visible this week in southern Scotland (pictured), central England, Wales and parts of Northern Ireland
The Met Office’s Space Weather arm said the first CME would deliver a “blinking blow” tonight (pictured), while the second is likely to have a “more direct impact”
The Northern Lights are mainly seen in high latitude regions, so any glimpse in the UK is a rare treat for stargazers.
But CMEs caused by intense solar activity could make it possible to see the spectacle much further south.
They send charged particles to Earth that hitting our planet and interacting with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere green and red colors over our poles.
The good news for most British observers tonight is that there will be almost no cloud cover, with the exception of over Northern Ireland.
The according to the British Geological Survey, the best way to see the Northern Lights is to find a dark place away from street lights and ideally a cloudless sky.
Experts say skywatchers should generally look north, though the spectacular sight could be overhead or elsewhere.
Looking up around midnight gives the best chance of seeing it, they add.
In a statement, the Met Office’s Space Weather arm describes how the two CMEs could affect Earth.
“One, as a low-confidence look later on April 19, with a more immediate impact likely on April 20 or April 21,” the Met Office said.
“The CME on April 20/21 is likely to lead to aurora visible across Scotland, perhaps Northern Ireland and much of Northern England, with a small chance of aurora visible in North Wales and central England.”
Aurora borealis could be visible across Scotland, as well as possibly Northern Ireland and much of Northern England
There is also a chance it could be seen in north Wales and central England thanks to the direct hit of the second coronal mass ejection, the Met Office said
On the solar storm, it added: “There is a very slim chance of G1/Minor storm intervals again due to the possible volatile CME later on April 19.
“Activity is likely to reach Active to G1/Minor Storm levels on April 20 or 21 due to the expected CME arrival, with a chance of G2/Moderate or G3/Strong Storm conditions.”
Sunspots are areas on the sun’s surface where powerful magnetic fields become trapped and eventually release a massive explosion of energy that results in a solar flare.
While our sun gives us life, it also often “sneezes,” ejecting billions of tons of hot plasma into space in colossal blobs of matter interlaced with magnetic fields — in other words, CMEs.
It emits giant flares, bursts of powerful electromagnetic radiation — X-rays, gamma rays and radio bursts — accompanied by streams of highly energetic particles.
The good news for most British observers tonight is that there will be almost no cloud cover, with the exception of over Northern Ireland
CMEs usually take about 15 to 18 hours to reach Earth.
The aurora appears when atoms in the Earth’s atmosphere collide with energetically charged particles from the sun, creating breathtaking shades of green with hints of pink, red and violet.
It is more commonly seen in winter when nights are cold, long and dark.
When a solar storm heads our way, some of the energy and small particles can travel along the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles to Earth’s atmosphere.
There, the particles interact with gases in our atmosphere, resulting in beautiful light shows in the sky – the aurora or northern lights. Oxygen gives off green and red light, while nitrogen glows blue and purple.
The aurora can be seen near the poles of both the northern and southern hemispheres. In the north, the display is known as the aurora borealis, and in the south it is called the aurora australis.