Met Office verdict on best time to see Northern Lights again tonight
The Met Office has revealed what time we could see the Northern Lights again after a stunning display on Thursday evening.
The skies were filled with pinks, blues, and reds as the aurora borealis gave a stunning display on Thursday night (October 10) and into the early hours of Friday. Dazzling pictures of the natural phenomenon were captured all over our region thanks to clear skies - you can view our picture gallery here.
The Met Office said previously there had been 'more space weather events in recent months', including the Northern Lights, because the sun was nearing the peak of its solar cycle. But will we be treated to the spectacle again this evening?
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The forecaster previously said that Thursday night would be the best time this week to see the aurora, with the lights expected to be at their strongest around 10pm. The forecaster also stated there was a possibility of them appearing again between about 10pm and 11pm tonight.
However the chances are unfortunately much lower. The Met Office’s latest space weather forecast said: ""The chances of aurora remain initially, though gradually easing through October 11, becoming increasingly confined to far northern geomagnetic latitudes by October 13."
READ MORE: More stunning pictures as Northern Lights seen over Manchester
Skies are also not likely to be as clear, with some cloudy and rainy conditions forecast across parts of the UK this evening. The auroras on Earth, which are most commonly seen over high polar latitudes but can spread south, are chiefly influenced by geomagnetic storms which originate from activity on the sun.
The sun works on a cycle of around 11 years called the solar cycle – with peak sunspot activity on the surface of the Sun referred to as solar maximum. Sunspots give the potential for Earth-directed releases of large bursts of energy, called coronal mass ejections, which can lead to aurora visibility.
Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles. As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.