Will the Northern Lights be visible tonight in the UK?

30 March 2023, 20:08

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, previously glowing on the horizon at St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the North East coast
The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, previously glowing on the horizon at St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the North East coast. Picture: Alamy

By Emma Soteriou

The Northern Lights are set to be visible across the UK tonight, with a wave of colour filling the sky.

Forecasters said the aurora would make an appearance following the revelation of a 'hole' in the Sun's atmosphere.

The hole - estimated to be 20 times the size of the Earth - was spotted by Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory and is expected to have triggered 'minor solar storms'.

Will the Northern Lights be visible tonight in the UK?

Due to the hole in the Sun's atmosphere, experts have predicted that a light display may also be visible tomorrow - providing there are clear skies.

Krista Hammond, from the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre, said: "Minor solar storms are possible on Thursday and Friday night, which means aurora sightings would be possible in northern Scotland under clear skies."

Read more: King Charles thanks Germany 'from the bottom of my heart' for reaction to Queen Elizabeth's death in historic visit

Read more: Treasury sparks pay storm after advertising Head of Cyber Security job at £50k

Where are the best places to see the Northern Lights?

The polar lights will be more visible in rural areas as they have less light pollution.

Displays are most often seen further north, with Scotland set to get the best view of the spectacle.

However, the dim colours tend to brighten over the course of several hours.

What's the best time to see the Northern Lights in the UK tonight?

The lights are set to appear at some point between 7pm on Thursday and 4am on Friday.

The display could even go into the early hours of April 1 in some northern parts of Scotland.

It is the result of electrically charged particles from the Sun, smashing into particles in our planet's atmosphere.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Man suspected of fatally shooting wife outside pub on Valentine's Day rang friend and said 'she's dead'

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80 after 'brief illness' as tributes pour in

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned 'any appearance by armed forces under some other flag' in Ukraine would be 'completely unacceptable', in a dig at a peace plan floated by Keir Starmer.

Keir Starmer’s Ukraine peacekeeping plan ‘completely unacceptable’, Russia tells US in Saudi Arabia talks

Rita Lambourne, 58, was “fatally wounded” at her home in Bayencourt South, Bexhill

Man charged with axe murder of woman in own home

Lydia Mugambe is accused of taking 'advantage of her status'

UN judge ‘trafficked woman to UK to be her slave'

Anonymous posters have appeared in Hampstead Heath, a park in north London, calling for gay men to stop using the park for sex.

'Take back Hampstead Heath', dog walkers urged as posters appear calling for men to stop using park for sex

Gavin Nicholls was tackled to the ground by a plain-clothed officer outside the Co-op in Barnet

Moment serial shoplifter is tackled off e-scooter by police as he flees store in north London

The plane, which was carrying 80 people, slid down onto the icy runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport before bursting into flames

Horrifying video shows moment Delta plane crashes on tarmac and bursts into flames at Toronto airport

Healey's comments came following Russia-US Peake talks in Saudi Arabia.

UK facing 'new era of threat' from Russia, Defence Secretary says as he unveils ‘biggest military shake up in 50 years’

Passengers escape Flipped over Delta plane after it crashed while landing in Toronto

'We were hanging upside down like bats': Survivors reveal fear and chaos inside flipped over Delta plane

England's top judge slams Starmer and Badenoch over Gaza family immigration comments

'Judges aren't free from criticism': Backlash after England's top judge attacks Starmer's migrant remarks

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple on round-the-world motorbike adventure charged with espionage by Iranian authorities

An assistant referee has been charged with child sexual offences.

Assistant referee for FA Cup and football league games charged with child sexual offence

Corinna Schumacher, right, has broken her silence on the case involving a plot to reveal Formula One star Michael Schumacher's health secrets.

Michael Schumacher's wife breaks silence after three men guilty of blackmail plot to reveal F1 legend's health secrets

Doctor Who

Doctor Who faces axe as Nucti Gatwa 'quits' show amid drop in ratings over 'woke' storylines

Pope Francis

Pope Francis cancels weekend engagements as hospital stay extended