Northern Lights visible in the UK this weekend - see exactly where and when
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are described as "one of the most spectacular displays in the night sky".
This "incredible occurrence" can occasionally be seen in the night sky over Britain.
Time-lapse of the Northern Lights
Stargazers across the country are set to get their latest chance to see the Northern Lights this weekend, according to Met Office forecasts.
Best time to see the Northern Lights this weekend
The Northern Lights may be visible in parts of the UK on Friday night (August 8) and into the early hours of Saturday (August 9) morning, according to the Met Office.
The Met Office Space Weather forecast reads: "Expected Coronal Mass Ejection and coronal hole fast wind influence is forecast for 08-09 August, which will likely enhance auroral activity.
"Sightings are possible over Scotland, especially the north, given clear skies.
"There is a chance of visible activity for parts of the north of England and Ireland, given good conditions, with the peak chance likely from late on 08 August.
"However, confidence in the timing remains low, and visibility will be limited by the short hours of darkness and any potential cloud cover.
"Aurora activity likely declining by the end of the period."
Tip for night sky photos on your phone
Best places to see the Northern Lights in the UK
According to the space weather forecast from the Met Office, the best spots in the UK to see the Northern Lights over the coming days are:
Scotland
North of England
Ireland
The Met Office added: "The northern lights are best seen in darkness, away from any light pollution."
RECOMMENDED READING:
How can you take a photo of the Northern Lights? (A guide for beginners)
WATCH: Family captures 'bright shooting star' on doorbell camera
BBC and Met Office to join forces to deliver UK's 'most-trusted' weather service
What are the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights are caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth's atmosphere.
The colours occur due to different gases in the Earth's atmosphere being energised by the charged particles.
Nitrogen and oxygen are the two most common gases in the atmosphere, with nitrogen emitting purple, blue and pink colours and oxygen emitting green.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Northern lights could be visible in these states: See forecast map
More than a dozen states in the northern part of the contiguous U.S. have a chance to see the northern lights. About 15 states could catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis on Aug. 9, according to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center. An earlier forecast for Friday, Aug. 8, showed a possibility of seeing the aurora in about 18 states was downgraded to a lesser event shorter before 8 a.m. ET. A coronal mass ejection, or large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the sun, lifted off the star on Aug. 5, raising expectations to cause geomagnetic activity, according to NOAA. For Aug. 9, NOAA said it predicts a geomagnetic K-index of 5. The K-index measures geomagnetic activity and indicates how far away from the poles the northern lights could be visible, according to the agency. A Kp score between 3-5 indicates brighter and increased activity, per NOAA. On another geomagnetic storm scale, NOAA ranks the event a G1, which is considered a minor event. The northern lights, a natural phenomenon formally known as the aurora borealis, can project colorful lights in the night sky because of an interaction between the sun's plasma and Earth's magnetic field, according to the National Weather Service. When could the northern lights be visible? The best view of the northern lights is usually within an hour or two of midnight, according to NOAA. The aurora is not visible during daylight hours, and is usually seen just after sunset or just before sunrise, according to the agency. More news: What is Instagram map? How to turn location feature on and off Where could the northern lights be visible? See map Parts of about 15 states are within NOAA's forecasted "view line" for the northern lights on Aug. 9. The view line indicates the southernmost point where the aurora could be seen on the northern horizon. The following states could catch a glimpse of the aurora, according to NOAA's forecasted view line: Alaska Idaho Iowa Maine Michigan Minnesota Montana New Hampshire New York North Dakota South Dakota Vermont Washington Wisconsin Wyoming Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will northern lights be visible this weekend? See aurora forecast map
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Don't Miss Tonight's Northern Lights Show—These 18 States Have the Best View
Find out if the dazzling display will be in your Points The northern lights may be visible tonight across parts of the northern U.S., including states as far south as Illinois, due to predicted geomagnetic storm activity. NOAA forecasts moderate G2 geomagnetic storm conditions between 2 and 5 a.m. EDT. The best chance to view the auroras is from a dark, north-facing location around 2 in the United States, as far south as Illinois, could have the chance to see a spectacular light show tonight. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the northern lights are projected to illuminate the skies this evening. The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is predicting minor to moderate geomagnetic storms in the very early hours of Friday morning, with a slight chance of strong G3 levels, caused by an incoming coronal mass ejection (an ejection of plasma mass from the sun's corona). Geomagnetic storms are ranked from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme). A G2 storm means that the aurora oval—the zone where there is a higher probability of seeing the northern lights—could move farther south, allowing more parts of the northern U.S. to spot the natural phenomenon, especially if there's minimal light pollution. G3 conditions could bring auroras as far south as Pennsylvania, but that's less likely. Based on the NOAA forecast, residents in 18 states including Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, South Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, New York, Wyoming, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois will have an opportunity to spot the northern lights, with those in the northernmost parts having the greatest possibility. According to NOAA's Kp index forecast, activity could begin as early as 11 p.m. EDT tonight, with moderate G2 storm conditions occurring from 2 to 5 a.m. EDT, which will be the best aurora viewing window. There is also a chance the geomagnetic storm will pop up Friday night into Saturday morning instead, according to the Met Office, the United Kingdom's national meteorological service. So if you don't see the auroras tonight, be sure to check back tomorrow night. The Kp index is a scale from 0 to 9 used to measure geomagnetic activity. The higher the number, the more likely auroras are to be visible at mid-latitudes, away from the poles. NOAA currently predicts the Kp index will peak at 6 in the middle of the night tonight. If you're in an area with the potential to experience auroras, head out and find a north-facing location with a clear view of the horizon that's as far away from light pollution as possible. The best time to see the northern lights will be around 2 a.m. local time. Read the original article on Martha Stewart Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Yellow heat health alert issued for UK as temperatures set to rise
Temperatures are expected to exceed 30C in parts of the country. A yellow heat health alert has been issued as temperatures are expected to exceed 30C in parts of the country next week. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the alert from 12pm on Monday, 11 August until 6pm on Wednesday, 13 August. It covers Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, East of England, London, the South East and South West. The UKHSA said the high temperatures mean significant impacts are possible across health and social care services. This includes the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. It comes as the mercury is expected to start rising on Sunday, 10 August, with temperatures then expected to exceed 30C across parts of central, southern and eastern England on 11 and 12 August. Met Office deputy chief Meteorologist Steven Keates said: 'We're confident temperatures will increase markedly by the start of next week, reaching the low 30s in parts of England on Monday and perhaps the mid 30s in a few places on Tuesday. "However, the length of this warm spell is still uncertain, and it is possible that high temperatures could persist further into next week, particularly in the south.' What is a heat health alert? Heat health alerts are issued by the UKHSA to "provide an early warning when adverse temperatures are likely to impact the health and wellbeing of the population". They are specifically intended to warn the health and social care sector, responder community, voluntary and community sector and government departments. Alerts are divided into three levels: red being the most serious and yellow the least. Here, Yahoo News UK also breaks down, using Met Office forecasts, what the weather will be like for each region of the UK. London and the South East Saturday A similarly fine and warm day to Friday, with lengthy periods of warm sunshine and light winds, although perhaps a little more cloud around. Maximum temperature 27C. Sunday to Tuesday Temperatures climbing during this period, becoming hot into the new working week. Some sunshine expected, although on the cloudy side at times, with sporadic thundery showers becoming more likely. South West Saturday Early mist and fog soon clearing to leave another fine, dry day, with plenty of prolonged sunny intervals. Turning a little breezier later, but feeling pleasantly warm in the sunshine. Maximum temperature 24C. Sunday to Tuesday High pressure will bring a generally dry few days with plenty of sunny spells, though showers more likely by Tuesday. Feeling warmer with temperatures rising above average. Midlands Saturday East Midlands: Mainly fine with some warm sunshine. Eventually becoming cloudier from the northwest later in the day, with one or two showers possible for a time. Maximum temperature 25C. West Midlands: Another fine, mostly dry day with warm sunny intervals though the odd light shower still possible. Winds gradually easing later. Maximum temperature 25C. Sunday to Tuesday East Midlands: Temperatures climbing during this period, becoming hot into the new working week. Some sunshine expected, although on the cloudy side at times, with sporadic thundery showers becoming more likely. West Midlands: High pressure will bring a generally dry few days with plenty of sunny spells, though showers more likely by Tuesday. Feeling warmer with temperatures rising above average. North East Saturday Fine at first, but breezy and soon becoming cloudy as a weakening band of rain edges southeast. Becoming brighter during the afternoon, leaving a fine end to the day. Maximum temperature 22C. Sunday to Tuesday Temperatures climbing during this period, becoming very warm into the new working week. Some sunshine expected, although on the cloudy side at times, with sporadic thundery showers becoming more likely. North West Saturday Another fine, bright start, though scattered showers sink south through the morning, Drier into the afternoon with plenty of sunny intervals, and winds easing. Maximum temperature 23C. Sunday to Tuesday High pressure will bring a generally dry few days with plenty of sunny spells, though showers more likely by Tuesday. Feeling warmer with temperatures rising above average. Scotland Saturday Early morning rain will soon clear to leave a dry sunny morning. Patchy cloud will bubble up from late morning, perhaps giving a few isolated afternoon showers. Maximum temperature 20C. Sunday to Tuesday A dry bright day on Sunday. Outbreaks of rain on Monday, then turning warmer with a chance of showers Monday night and on Tuesday. Northern Ireland Saturday Early morning rain will soon clear to leave a dry sunny morning. Patchy cloud will bubble up from late morning, perhaps giving a few isolated afternoon showers. Maximum temperature 20C. Sunday to Tuesday A mostly dry few days with light winds and gradually turning warmer. Rather cloudy at times, and a chance of rain most likely on Monday. Wales Saturday Another fine, mostly dry day with warm sunny intervals though the odd light shower still possible, mainly in the north. Winds gradually easing later. Maximum temperature 21C. Sunday to Tuesday High pressure will bring a generally dry few days with plenty of sunny spells, though showers more likely by Tuesday. Feeling warmer with temperatures rising above average. Solve the daily Crossword
