Scotland had the most vivid display, but other parts of the United Kingdom also got a glimpse of the vivid green and red streaks that were visible in the night sky.
After Sunday’s Aurora spectacle, which was visible as far south as Cornwall, Skywatchers may be in for another treat tonight.
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are typically most visible in high-latitude regions closer to the Arctic, such as Scandinavia.
Typically, only Scotland and portions of northern England in the United Kingdom are fortunate enough to see the rare phenomenon. But this time even southern England, including Kent and Cornwall, reported sightings.
The Met Office verified late on Sunday that “a coronal hole high-speed stream” combined with “a rather fast coronal mass ejection” caused aurora sightings throughout the United Kingdom.
In addition, the Aurora will likely be visible in portions of the United Kingdom tonight.
According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the Aurora is caused by the collision of atoms and molecules in our atmosphere with solar particles.
The wavy patterns of light are caused by the lines of force in the Earth’s magnetic field, and the varying colors are produced by different gases – the green is characteristic of oxygen, while the purple, blue, or pink are caused by nitrogen.
The bottom of an aurora is typically around 80 miles above the Earth’s surface. But the summit may be hundreds of miles above the planet.
How do I view the Aurora from the United Kingdom?
If you’re on Twitter, you can follow @aurorawatchuk. Where space physicists from Lancaster University will broadcast when the Aurora may be visible from the United Kingdom. The further north you are, the more likely you are to see the display.
The conditions must still be ideal, with dark, clear nights and as little light pollution as feasible.
