Find out about how and why the northern lights form, and where to see them in the UK.
This incredible occurrence can be occasionally seen in the night sky over Britain.
Thenorthern lights (also known as aurora borealis) appear as large areas of colour including pale green, pink, shades of red, yellow, blue and violet in the direction due north. During a weak aurora, the colours are very faint and spread out whereas an intense aurora features greater numbers of and brighter colours which can be seen higher in the sky with a distinct arc. Thenorthern lights arebest seen in darkness, away from any light pollution. The lights generally extend from 50 miles to as high as 400 miles above the Earth's surface.
What causes the northern lights?
The northern lights occur as a consequence of solar activity andresult from collisions of charged particles in the solar wind colliding with molecules in the Earth's upper atmosphere.
Solar winds are charged particles that stream away from the Sun at speeds of around 1 million miles per hour. When the magnetic polarity of the solar wind is opposite to the Earth's magnetic field, the two magnetic fields combine allowing these energetic particles to flow into the Earth's magnetic north and south poles. Auroras usually occur in a band called the annulus (a ring about 1,865 miles across) centred on the magnetic pole. The arrival of a Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) from the Sun can cause the annulus to expand, bringing the aurora to lower latitudes. It is under these circ*mstances that thelights can be seen in the UK.
Depending on which gas molecules are hit and where they are in the atmosphere, different amounts of energy are released as different wavelengths of light. Oxygen gives off green light when it is hit 60 miles above the Earth, whilst at 100-200 miles rare, all-red auroras are produced. Nitrogen causes the sky to glow blue yet when higher in the atmosphere the glow has a purple hue.
Which weather conditions are best to view the northern lights?
The best conditions to view the lights are when the sky is dark and clear of any clouds. Cloud cover ultimately blocks the view of the light. Ideally, the lights will be best viewed away from any light pollution, in remote areas, facing the northern horizon - north facing coasts produce someof the best viewing locations. Thenorthern lights aremost active during the Equinox and Solstice in March/April and September/October.
Where can you see the northern lights in the UK?
Predominantly the northern lights are best witnessed in Scotland, North England, North Wales and Northern Ireland. However under severe space weather conditions, the lights can be seen throughout the UK.
FAQs
Where is the best place to see the northern lights? The northern lights most commonly occur within the geographic area beneath the auroral oval. It encompasses latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees and takes in Iceland, northern parts of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia, Canada and Alaska as well as southern Greenland.
What time is best to view the northern lights tonight? ›
The northern lights are best seen in a dark location away from city lights, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. It helps to have a good vantage point, like being on top of a hill, and having an unobstructed view toward the north, NOAA said.
What causes the northern lights? ›
Both the Northern and Southern Lights are caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth's atmosphere. They occur around the North Pole when the solar wind carrying the particles interacts with the Earth's magnetic field.
What time is best to see the aurora tonight? ›
Timing: Best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 PM and 2 AM local time).
What month is best to see the northern lights? ›
If you're planning an aurora-viewing trip, the best time is throughout the winter months. Anytime between late September to late March is a good time for northern lights hunting as the long nights provide ample aurora viewing opportunities.
Are northern lights visible in the USA? ›
While most visible in Alaska and Canada, residents from Oregon to New York may also have a chance to view the stunning phenomena known as the Auroras Borealis, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center.
What is the secret of Northern Lights? ›
The aurora veteran, with over 15 years of seeing the aurora aboard Hurtigruten, explains “The Northern Lights are caused by electrically charged particles that are released by the Sun and travel 150 million kilometres across space to the Earth.”
Why are Northern Lights so rare? ›
A region that currently displays an aurora is called the "auroral oval", a band displaced by the solar wind towards the night side of Earth. Auroras at the North Pole itself are rare due to it being on the Arctic Ocean, while auroras at the South Pole itself are very common and guaranteed to be visible.
Do Northern Lights appear every night? ›
Fortunately, they occur frequently. "The northern lights are happening 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," said photographer Chad Blakely, owner of the northern lights tour company Lights Over Lapland. But that doesn't mean they're easy to spot; you need to be at the right place at the right time.
How long do the northern lights last? ›
They don't usually exhibit for long – they may only show for a few minutes, then glide away before returning. A good display may last for no longer than 15-30 minutes at a time, although if you're really lucky, it could extend to a couple of hours or longer.
Ideally, the lights will be best viewed away from any light pollution, in remote areas, facing the northern horizon - north facing coasts produce some of the best viewing locations. The northern lights are most active during the Equinox and Solstice in March/April and September/October.
Can you see the northern lights with the naked eye? ›
With the naked eye, we usually see the northern lights in faint colors and shades of white and gray. human vision at night is limited and not as colorful. Cameras do not have these limitations.
Do the northern lights happen every night? ›
Fortunately, they occur frequently. "The northern lights are happening 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," said photographer Chad Blakely, owner of the northern lights tour company Lights Over Lapland. But that doesn't mean they're easy to spot; you need to be at the right place at the right time.
Why are we seeing the northern lights so far south? ›
When they hit Earth's magnetic field, currents send particles flowing to the North and South Poles, and that's what causes the aurora, or northern lights, to appear in our skies. The stronger the geomagnetic storm, the further south the phenomenon is visible.
