Will there be more Northern Lights tonight? Met Office verdict

The Northern Lights over Crosby Beach earlier this year
-Credit: (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)


Parts of the UK were treated to a spectacle last night, October 10, when The Northern Lights put on a magnificent display. While parts of north and Scotland often get to see the aurora, it is rare they can be seen so clearly over England.

The lights occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles. As this happens, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky. They are most commonly seen over high polar latitudes but can often spread south to be visible over parts of the UK, are chiefly influenced by geomagnetic storms which originate from activity on the sun.

READ MORE: Why Northern Lights were visible in the UK last night

READ MORE: Pub quiz: Test your general knowledge with 20 challenging questions - October 11

Many people rushed to the Liverpool ECHO's Facebook to share photos of the sky filled with a pink, green and purple hue. The lights could be seen across Liverpool and Wirral. A Met Office spokesman said 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.

The sun’s cycle lasts for about 11 years as its magnetic fields flip, and during the ‘solar maximum’ phase, there are many more solar flares and solar storms. This means the Northern Lights appear much further south than they normally would. When activity is strong, this expands to cover a greater area, which explains why displays can be occasionally seen as far south as the UK

Northern Lights in Hoylake by Donna Davenport
Northern Lights in Hoylake by Donna Davenport -Credit:Liverpool ECHO

The chance of seeing the Northern Lights again tonight appears to be much slimmer according to the Met Office. In its latest space weather forecast, the Met Office says: “The chances of aurora remain initially, though gradually easing through 11 October, becoming increasingly confined to far northern geomagnetic latitudes by 13 October.”