Map shows where you can see the Northern Lights in the UK TONIGHT: Met Office says stargazers will have 'enhanced' chance of seeing Aurora Borealis

Skygazers in the UK could be treated to a show of the Northern Lights on Sunday night.

Scotland is expected to have clear skies overnight into Sunday, making it a great location to potentially witness the mesmerizing aurora borealis phenomenon. However, there is also a possibility of seeing this natural light display further south.

A map issued by the Met Office shows the chances of seeing the Northern Lights in the UK tonight. 

The Met Office has indicated that there is a chance of aurora sightings over northern Scotland during the evening and overnight, with the possibility extending to most parts of Scotland as long as the skies remain clear.

‘There is perhaps a chance further south too, with long exposure photography.’

Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said there is a ‘heightened chance’ of seeing them due to the low cloud coverage and clear skies in Scotland.

She said the movement of solar winds around the sun at this time is leading to the ‘enhanced possibility of a sighting’.

She added: ‘The further north you are, the more likely the chances are that you will be able to see them.

It is noted that auroras are more easily visible on cameras compared to the naked eye, resulting in clearer pictures due to the nature of the phenomenon’s light beams.

The Northern Lights could be seen tonight over northern Scotland, the Met Office has said

The Northern Lights could be seen tonight over northern Scotland, the Met Office has said

There is also a chance the Aurora Borealis phenomenon could be visible further south

There is also a chance the Aurora Borealis phenomenon could be visible further south

The sun has now entered its period of greatest activity, which means Britons could be seeing more colourful displays of the aurora borealis until the middle of the year.

The sun goes through an 11-year solar cycle, with periods of intense activity followed by a quiet phase.

During its active bursts, also known as solar maximum, the sun releases charged particles that travel through space at speeds of around one million miles per hour.

Some of the particles are captured by the Earth’s magnetic field and collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in the atmosphere.

These atoms and molecules then shed the energy they gained from the collision, emitting light at various wavelengths to create colourful displays in the night sky.

According to Nasa, oxygen emits either a greenish-yellow light – which is the most familiar colour of the aurora – or a red light, while nitrogen generally gives off a blue light.

The oxygen and nitrogen molecules also emit ultraviolet light, which can only be detected by special cameras on satellites.

The best way to catch the display is to find a dark place, away from light pollution such as street lights and ideally a cloud-free sky. 

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights over Derwentwater, near Keswick in Cumbria

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights over Derwentwater, near Keswick in Cumbria

October, 2024 Pictured: The Northern Lights visible over a groyne on the beach at Portobello near Edinburgh

October, 2024 Pictured: The Northern Lights visible over a groyne on the beach at Portobello near Edinburgh

Jedburgh Abbey pictured with the colours of the northern lights above

Jedburgh Abbey pictured with the colours of the northern lights above

What are the Northern Lights? 

The Northern and Southern Lights (auroras) are natural light spectacles.

The displays light up when electrically charged particles from the sun enter Earth’s atmosphere. 

Usually the particles are deflected by Earth’s magnetic field, but during stronger storms they enter the atmosphere and collide with gas particles such as hydrogen and helium.

These collisions emit light in many amazing colours, although pale green and pink are common. 

Some of the best aurora spots around the UK are in areas of high elevation (closer to the magnetosphere) and away from cities that pollute the sky with artificial light.

The Northern Lights are caused by a ‘severe’ geomagnetic storm – a major disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere, the area around Earth controlled by the planet’s magnetic field.

This disturbance is triggered when a violent stream of charged particles released from the sun’s outermost atmospheric layer is directed towards us.

‘There’s a reaction called nuclear fusion that occurs continuously deep within the sun’s core,’ explains Dr Amoré Elsje, an applied geomagnetic researcher at SANSA Space Science, in a new piece for The Conversation.

‘This generates massive amounts of energy.

‘Some of the energy is released as light (sunlight), some as radiation (solar flares), and some as charged particles.’

You May Also Like

Holly Willoughby looks stylish at a festival in a short black dress and fedora, standing out among other famous attendees on the sunny second day of Glastonbury.

Holly Willoughby oozed festival chic as she led the celebrities on the…

Get to know the three sons of Jeff Bezos who recently got married and his adopted daughter from China that he keeps private.

When Jeff Bezos, the billionaire Amazon founder, ties the knot with Lauren…

Reasons for Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom’s Breakup

Famous couple Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom have reportedly decided to end…

Update: Victoria Beckham Shares Emotional Update on David Beckham’s Hospitalization

David Beckham Hospitalized, Victoria Shares Emotional Update, A handmade “Get Well Soon”…

Trouble in Glastonbury: Drug dealers in the streets, pub employees selling tickets for sex, and rowdy troublemakers attempting break-ins

Residents of Glastonbury’s neighboring villages are expressing their frustration with the influx…

Lawsuit filed to block controversial July 1 ‘benefits’ law harming US residents

A CONTROVERSIAL new law that will take away benefits from certain US…

A tourist at a US airport is deported for kicking a sniffer dog so hard that it flew into the air, and was fined for the incident.

A TOURIST who kicked a sniffer dog “so hard it flew into…

Pro-Palestine protesters cause damages to £1m worth of military equipment bound for Ukraine in warehouse break-in

A SWARM of pro-Palestinian protesters caused nearly £1million worth of damage to…

PM dismisses suggestion to remove influential No10 official Morgan McSweeney following welfare criticism

THE PM’S powerful chief of staff Morgan McSweeney is “not going anywhere”…

New Satellite Images Reveal Activity at Former Iranian Nuclear Site Bombed by US

New satellite photos have revealed that Iran is trying to piece together its…

Drama Unfolds in the Love Island Hideaway: Helena & Harrison’s Truth Revealed!

Love Island Hideaway Drama: Helena & Harrison Exposed! Helena and Harrison’s Hideaway…

Discover the challenge faced by England’s favorite footballers like Jude Bellingham, Wayne Rooney, and Frank Lampard during their time in Ibiza – revealed by a VIP hostess.

A VIP hostess who helps organise luxury holidays for footballers in Ibiza…