Residents across the UK may catch a glimpse of the breathtaking Northern Lights following a red alert issued by scientists. On Wednesday night, Aurorawatch announced that 'it is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK'.

Aurorawatch UK issued the red alert due to significant geomagnetic activity currently occurring in the sun. With relatively clear skies, it's possible that people will be able to witness the Northern Lights with the naked eye from locations across the UK.

The Space Weather forecasting service stated, "There is a chance of aurora sightings at times across northern this week, given clear night-time skies, with a slight chance of sightings across Southern Scotland and similar latitudes. This is due to a fast stream of solar wind from a coronal hole arriving on Wednesday 26th March, lasting until around Friday 28th March."

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The red alert indicated that 'it is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK. ' According to experts, the optimal viewing time, assuming cloud-free skies, is when it's completely dark - potentially after 8pm.

To increase the chances of witnessing the spectacle, experts recommend heading to an area with minimal light pollution and using a good camera to capture the moment. Aurora displays are the result of charged particles colliding with gases in Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles.

This activity primarily occurs within a band known as the aurora oval, spanning latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees. X Weather and Radar UK/Ireland advised: "Searching for the #Aurora? The clear skies of England are your best chance tonight!".

When the activity intensifies, it expands to cover a larger area – hence why the spectacle can occasionally be seen as far south as the UK. In 2024, the Northern Lights have been spotted all over the UK.

The British Geological Survey suggests that larger Northern Lights displays occur around the equinoxes (March-April and September-October), due to increased magnetic storms during these periods.

"The brightest aurora are typically around 11pm to midnight local time," says Andy Smith, a researcher at Northumbria University who is working on using artificial intelligence to predict space weather.

Earth's auroras, most commonly observed over high polar latitudes but capable of spreading south, are largely influenced by geomagnetic storms originating from solar activity. The sun operates on an approximately 11-year cycle known as the solar cycle – with peak sunspot activity on the Sun's surface referred to as solar maximum.

The Sun is currently experiencing a "maximum" in its 11-year solar cycle, indicating an abundance of sunspots on its surface, akin to terrestrial volcanoes, which occasionally burst forth. These explosive events are known as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), catapulting additional material and energy into space.

When pointed our way, the Earth's magnetic field funnels this energy into our upper atmosphere at the poles, sparking reactions with oxygen and nitrogen that cause the dazzling colours synonymous with the aurora.

The auroral display is a persistent feature around the North and South Poles, referred to as the auroral ring. The intensification of solar energy stemming from geomagnetic storms of moderate to severe intensity can cause this ring to swell and stretch towards lower latitudes, such as the UK, making the spectacle visible.