The Northern Lights will be visible across Britain tonight as a massive solar storm hits Earth – now’s the best time to see this stunning display near you
Seeing the Northern Lights is a bucket list item for stargazers around the world.
And tonight you don’t have to venture into the frozen Arctic to see this stunning spectacle, as the aurora borealis will be visible over large parts of Britain and the US.
As the Earth is ravaged by massive solar storms, the radiation captured by the magnetic poles will boost this incredible natural phenomenon.
The Met Office says the aurora could be visible as far south as Wales and southern England this evening.
“Visible aurora tonight likely for Scotland and Northern Ireland and perhaps further south in England and Wales,” the report said.
The Met Office predicts that the Northern Lights will be visible over Scotland and Northern Ireland, but could extend into southern England and Wales.
Faith Hawthorn, an astronomer at Warwick University, says: ‘Aurorae are caused when a large amount of charged particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere.’
Normally the Northern Lights, or aurora australis in the Southern Hemisphere, are confined to a small area around the Earth’s magnetic poles.
However, during events known as coronal mass ejections, the Sun emits many more charged particles than normal.
When these solar storms collide with Earth, they not only disrupt electronics and radio equipment, but also cause the aurorae to become visible at lower latitudes.
Today, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revealed that Earth is experiencing a major geomagnetic storm.
With a rating of G2, the storm is classified as moderate and could disrupt radio communications and power systems at high latitudes.
But while this storm is not big enough to seriously disrupt communications systems, it will make the Northern Lights much more visible over a larger area.
If a solar storm hits Earth, the Northern Lights are likely to be visible over parts of Britain and the US. A similar storm was responsible for the beautiful aurora visible over Gower, Wales earlier this month (pictured).
For those in Britain, there’s a chance that this increased activity could translate into an incredible chance to see the Northern Lights above your own home.
To get the best view, Dr Minjae Kim, also from Warwick University, advised MailOnline: ‘Get away from light pollution: Aurorae are best viewed in dark locations, away from city lights and other sources of light pollution.
‘Check the weather: Clear skies with minimal cloud cover are ideal for aurora viewing.
‘Look north: in Britain the aurorae are usually seen in the northern sky, so look towards the northern horizon.
‘Be patient: Aurorae can be fleeting and can vary in intensity, so be prepared to wait and keep an eye on the sky.
‘Use a camera: While auroras can be seen with the naked eye, a camera with a long exposure setting can capture more detail and color.’
It’s always worth being aware that the Northern Lights depend on many different factors and that there is quite a bit of luck involved in getting the best views.
And according to the British Met Office, the weather could be the biggest obstacle to seeing this natural spectacle.
During the last solar storm, such a large amount of charged particles from the sun collided with Earth that the Northern Lights could even be seen above Stonehenge (photo)
Unfortunately, almost all of Britain will be covered in thick cloud for most of the evening.
In northern Scotland, where the aurora will be most visible, there will also be quite heavy rain during the evening, which could make sky viewing quite unpleasant.
A Met Office spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Despite any remaining increase in geomagnetic activity on the evening of March 25, cloudy conditions make aurora sightings unlikely.
“Over the next few days, activity will generally return to background levels, reducing the chance of aurora sightings.”
Cloud and rain could make it difficult to see the lights tonight, according to the Met Office forecast
However, if you had your heart set on seeing the Northern Lights from home, there is still hope.
As Ms Hawthorn explains, coronal mass ejections that cause Earth’s auroras are becoming more common now.
She said: ‘The sun has a cycle of how active it is, usually reaching a peak of activity and solar weather every eleven years.
“We are currently reaching that peak, so we can expect to see aurora more often and in more areas.”
This solar maximum has already ensured that Britain has seen the Northern Lights several times in recent months.
At the beginning of March the Northern Lights were visible as far south as Cornwall.
So if you can’t see the Northern Lights tonight on a clear night and with good timing, you might be able to see them sometime in the near future.