If you're in the north of the UK in the next few weeks, you might catch a glimpse of the actual Northern Lights
Can’t quite afford a trip to the Arctic Circle but always wanted to see the Northern Lights? Well, you’re in luck, because for the next few weeks there’s a chance you could see the aurora borealis in parts of northern England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Clear skies in northern parts of Britain, coupled with the Earth moving into a new alignment with the sun, meant that people were given a perfect view of the Northern Lights last night. Amazingly, these conditions are set to continue for the next few weeks.
Usually the spectacle can only be seen from places like Norway, Sweden, Iceland and the Arctic Circle, and if it does make its way to the UK, it’s only to the most northern parts of Scotland.
Stuart Stevenson tweeted his amazing photos (above), saying, 'Just had the most magical of nights, #aurora hunting in #Lanark. By far the best display I've ever seen in Scotland!'
The improved chances of a Northern Lights sighting is down to the Earth’s alignment of the sun along with the time of year – scientists aren’t completely sure why, but the Northern Lights are most often seen in spring and autumn.
‘We are now in a period, lasting a few weeks, where these two factors are working together to increase the chances of geomagnetic disturbances, which in turn bring with them the aurora,’ explains a Met Office spokesman.
‘There is a chance in North England, North Wales and Scotland. At the moment we will see it if we have clear skies. If the wind picks up then we might see it further south.’
Images: Rex Features and Stuart Stevenson