Four red alerts issued for Scotland as Northern Lights could be visible TONIGHT
DAZZLING DISPLAY Four red alerts issued for Scotland as Northern Lights could be visible TONIGHT
SCOTS could be in with the chance of seeing the Northern Lights tonight after four red alerts were issued.
The stunning natural phenomenon sees the skies light up with vibrant colours as solar particles react with the Earth's atmosphere.
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Scots could be in with the chance of seeing the Northern Lights tonight
Credit: Alamy
The breathtaking celestial display is caused by a geomagnetic storm, where solar wind shockwaves hit the Earth.
The lights appear when the sun ejects radiation known as Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).
Today, Aurora Watch UK issued four 'red alerts' to indicate that geomagnetic activity is at unusually high levels.
The alerts were issued between 9am and 11am and then again at 4pm and 6pm.
Aurora Watch UK uses geomagnetic measurements from the SAMNET and AuroraWatchNet magnetometers to detect when aurora is likely to be visible in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Elizabeth J McGrath from Colby College said: "The sun has been very active recently, and we expect it to continue through 2025.
"Normally we only see the aurora at locations close to Earth's magnetic north and south poles because charged particles from the sun get trapped by the Earth's magnetic field and funnelled to the poles.
"With stronger solar storms during solar maximum, there are more charged particles from the sun, and when these particles interact with Earth's magnetic field, they can be distributed farther from Earth's north and south magnetic poles, reaching more southerly latitudes here on Earth."
For those looking to catch a glimpse of the dazzling display in Scotland, the British Geological Survey (BGS) gives their top tips: "The aurora sits 100s of kms up in the sky above the height of the clouds so you'll need cloud-free skies. The sky also needs to be dark. Get away from streetlights. A bright full-moon will also wash out the light from faint aurora.
"As the aurora usually sits north of the UK the further north you live in the UK the more chances you will have to see the lights. Those in the north of Scotland may see the aurora fairly often. While those who live in the south of England may see them rarely.
Chasing the Northern Lights on Hurtigruten's MS Nordkapp
"Try to have a clear view to the north. A coastal location or on top of a hill may be good options to try. During extremely strong displays the aurora might be overhead, or to the south of your location so have a good look around."
And there's a prime time to catch the Northern Lights, the BGS says: "Generally, the best chances of seeing the aurora is generally around the hours of local midnight, 10pm - 2am.
"However, the aurora may appear any time during the night depending on geomagnetic activity. There is also a seasonal effect with the strongest magnetic storms tending to happen around the spring and autumn equinoxes."
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