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Over Friday and Saturday evenings, people throughout the UK were treated to a remarkable display as the sky was lit up by the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis. Typically visible closer to the Arctic Circle and northern parts of Scotland, this stunning event extended much further south than usual, reaching areas such as Devon, Hampshire, and Kent. This unusual visibility was driven by heightened solar activity, which the Met Office warns could continue to make sightings possible during clear nights through to Tuesday.
The Aurora Borealis results from powerful solar eruptions, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which occurred last week when the Sun released charged particles heading toward Earth. These particles interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, particularly near the poles, and when they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the atmosphere, they emit the vibrant lights associated with the aurora. The colours seen in the sky—ranging from pinks and purples to greens and yellows—are the visible evidence of these atomic collisions.
The intensity of the auroral activity dictates where in the UK it can be observed. Normally, when geomagnetic activity reaches 200 nanoteslas (nT), the phenomenon is confined to northern regions. However, on Saturday night, the activity surged to 600nT, allowing the Northern Lights to be spotted across the entire country, including southern regions, which is an infrequent event. Experts have noted that the current period of increased solar activity relates to the Sun’s natural 11-year cycle, with projections suggesting that 2026 might be a peak year for aurora sightings.
For those who missed this occasion, there is still hope. The Met Office anticipates that the aurora could be visible in Scotland and similarly positioned areas if the skies remain clear through Tuesday. Observers are advised to look northwards away from artificial lighting and to use mobile phone cameras to capture the lights. This is because human eyesight, relying on rod cells in low-light conditions, sees in monochrome, while cameras are capable of detecting and reproducing the aurora’s vivid colours
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