Northern Lights may be visible across parts of the UK tonight

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The Northern Lights could be seen across the skies of parts of the UK tonight and throughout week, the Met Office has said. The weather agency said yesterday the lights, also known as aurora borealis, could be visible in north Scotland.

Today, the Met Office said that periods of "enhanced" aurora are possible in the Northern Hemisphere over the coming days. Northern regions may have a chance of visible aurora tonight (February 11) and Wednesday night (February 12), with a "moderate storm" of geomagnetic activity likely.

The Met Office said on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Northern regions have further chances to see the aurora over the next few nights. "Cloudy skies mean limited viewing opportunities for most of us, but with clearer skies in northern and western Scotland, there's a much better chance here." Large parts of the UK were treated to a stunning aurora display in October last year, with the rare natural phenomenon capturing the attention of skygazers.

Aurora displays only happen when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles. Light is emitted at various wavelengths when they collide, forming dramatic, colourful displays in the sky.