What's happened
The Met Office forecasts potential visibility of the Northern Lights across the UK on Monday night and early Tuesday morning, particularly in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Clear skies are essential for sightings, with the best viewing conditions expected after dark.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Scotsman, the Met Office has indicated that the Northern Lights may be visible in clear skies across Scotland and Northern Ireland, with potential sightings in northern England and Wales. The article emphasizes the importance of dark conditions for optimal viewing, noting that sunset in Scotland is at 7:31 PM, making it crucial to wait until after dark. Metro adds that the aurora activity is expected to peak on Monday due to a coronal mass ejection, although visibility may be limited during daylight hours. Both sources highlight the need for remote locations away from light pollution for the best chances of seeing the lights.
How we got here
The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, are caused by charged particles colliding with Earth's atmosphere. Recent solar activity, including a coronal mass ejection, has heightened the chances of visibility in lower latitudes, including parts of the UK.
More on these topics
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The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy led by CEO Penelope Endersby, who took on
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Northern Ireland is variously described as a country, province or region which is part of the United Kingdom. Located in the northeast of the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland.
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Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a 96 mile border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and w
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England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by
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An aurora (pl. aurorae or auroras),
also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic
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Northern lights most commonly refers to the aurora borealis, a natural light display in Earth's sky.
(The) Northern Light(s) may also refer to:
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Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west. As of 2021, it had a population of 3.2 million.