Dazzling Northern Lights display may be visible across parts of UK

The Northern Lights may be visible across parts of the UK on Wednesday night following sightings in the north east of the country on Tuesday, the Met Office said.

The forecaster has issued a space weather warning for the natural phenomenon, also known as the aurora borealis, predicting it will be visible across parts of the UK on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.

The dazzling display was spotted in the north east of the UK on Tuesday night.

Sightings are believed to be possible again in the north of the country, with a chance of seeing the lights further south across England and Wales, although cloud coverage may affect visibility.

The weather forecast indicates lots of cloud cover around the country throughout the evening, with the north of Scotland most likely to have the least cloud and therefore potentially the best viewing conditions.

The Met Office added that the cloud may also break across south-east England through the night, potentially giving stargazers an opportunity to see the aurora.

Met Office space weather manager Krista Hammond said: “Multiple coronal mass ejections have reached Earth in recent days, with another one likely to arrive later today.

“This event is likely to be of a similar magnitude to the one in May 2024, which brought auroras across much of England and Wales.”

She added: “However, on this occasion, the weather will hamper viewing potential for many, with thick cloud and rain for much of the country.

“The best visibility is likely to be in the north of Scotland on Wednesday night, though there is a chance of some breaks in the cloud at times in the South East in the night.”

The Met Office explained that the solar storm is a result of the Sun going through an active phase experiencing coronal mass ejections, which are large expulsions that send solar particles towards the Earth.

As these particles interact with the Earth’s atmosphere, they form a dazzling light display, commonly known as the Northern Lights.

The forecaster added that activity is likely to decline by Thursday night, resulting in reduced visibility.