It’s one of the most spectacular sights in the night sky and can result in some superb Instagram-worthy snaps.
And tonight, Britons should have their eyes to the skies, as the Northern Lights – also known as aurora borealis – will be visible in the UK.
The Met Office says people in Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland will be able to witness the colourful light display with the naked eye.
That means those as far south as Newcastle, Belfast and the Isle of Man could get a glimpse by looking northwards after nightfall.
It comes as a huge solar storm strikes Earth, which could also impact radios, aviation communication and degrade satellite operations.
The aurora borealis appears over Bamburgh Lighthouse, in Northumberland on the North East coast of England, November 5, 2023
The Northern Lights are most commonly seen over places closer to the Arctic Circle such as Scandinavia and Alaska, so any sighting over the UK is a treat for skygazers.
On average, the aurora can be seen in the far north of Scotland every few months, but becomes harder to see as you get further south.
Auroras are caused by disturbances in Earth’s ‘magnetosphere’ (its system of magnetic fields) due to powerful activity on the sun.
Tonight’s aurora stems from a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a massive expulsion of plasma from the sun’s corona, its outermost layer.
The high-energy particles left the sun on Saturday and travelled towards us at hundreds of miles per second before bombarding our magnetosphere – commonly known as a ‘solar storm’.
At this point, some of the energy and small particles can travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles into our planet’s atmosphere.
There, the particles interact with gases in our atmosphere, resulting in beautiful displays of light in the sky, known as auroras.
Oxygen gives off green and red light, while nitrogen glows blue and purple.
Although not dangerous to humans, the particles aurora can damage power grids on Earth and satellites in orbit, which can lead to internet disruptions.
The Met Office has revealed the auroral oval – the ring-like range of auroral activity that determines where the Northern Lights will be most visible.
A Met Office animation shows the auroral oval – the ring-like range of auroral activity that determines the range of the Northern Lights and where it will be most visible
The aurora is due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a massive expulsion of plasma from the Sun’s corona, its outermost layer (artist’s depiction)
The Northern Lights seen above St Leonard’s Head in St Andrews, Scotland, February 27, 2023
‘There is a chance of seeing the aurora on 22-23 January due to arrival of a CME that left the sun on 20 January,’ the Met Office said in a statement.
‘If the effects increase then Scotland, northern England, Northern Ireland and similar latitudes have the best chance of overhead aurora sightings where skies are clear.’
Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere – where it’s known as aurora australis – the spectacle should be visible in Tasmania and southern New Zealand.
‘There is a good chance of enhancement to the auroral oval in the current UTC evening, perhaps eventually becoming visible in the extreme south of New Zealand and Tasmania although limited by long daylight hours,’ the Met Office adds.
In North America, the strongest likelihood of seeing the aurora tonight is from Canada and Alaska, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
People in northern parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin may also see the event although it will likely be fainter.
NOAA has rated it ‘G2’ (on a scale of one to five), so it’s considered ‘moderate’, meaning it could disrupt satellites in space and power grids, including ‘possible widespread voltage control problems’.
According to the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there’s the strongest likelihood of seeing the aurora tonight over Canada and Alaska
The Northern Lights is most commonly seen over places closer to the Arctic Circle such as Scandinavia and Alaska, so any sighting over the UK is a treat for skygazers. Pictured is the aurora as seen in Sommaroy, Norway, November 19, 2023
An aurora is created by disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere due to a flow of particles from the sun and is usually centred around the Earth’s magnetic poles. It’s pictured here through the window of a plane flying between Svalbard and Tromso, Norway January 5, 2024
According to the Met Office, people with a decent camera should be able to capture decent shots of the aurora even when it’s not visible with the naked eye.
‘Cameras help as the long exposure allows loads of light in and enhances the colours more than the human eye can see,’ a spokesperson said.
‘That is why you see pictures as far south as Cornwall sometimes though you’re unlikely to ever be able to see it with the naked eye that far south.’
Aurora can often be observed somewhere on Earth from just after sunset or just before sunrise, but are not visible during daylight hours.
The northern lights (aurora borealis) over St Mary’s lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the north-east coast of England. Picture date: April 24, 2023
The best way to see the stunning displays is to find a dark place, away from light pollution such as street lights and ideally a cloud-free sky.
Look north if you’re in the northern hemisphere, but look south if you’re in the southern hemisphere – and set up your camera likewise.
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.
These aurora hotspots include the Lake District in Cumbria, Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, the Shetland Islands and Whitley Bay, North Tyneside.