Dazzling Northern Lights set to glow over the UK tonight as Solar Storm hits, is your hometown on the viewing map? Check out here

If you've ever dreamed of witnessing the mystical Northern Lights, tonight you might be able to admire it finally.

Northern Lights Set to Dazzle the UK Tonight

An intense solar storm is striking Earth and is expected to illuminate the skies above some areas of the UK with a spectacular aurora display, as per Daily Mail. The natural light display, also called the aurora borealis, might colour the night sky with rich tones of red, green, pink, and purple, according to the report.

How the Aurora Forms

The aurora would be triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME), a violent expulsion of charged material from the sun over 90 million miles away, as per Met Office.

The sun's high-energy particles are moving toward Earth at hundreds of miles per second before colliding with the magnetosphere, the magnetic shield that envelops the planet, as per the report. The collision is called as a solar storm.

When some of the energy and small particles travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles into Earth's atmosphere, the particles interact with gases in the atmosphere, which gives beautiful displays of light in the sky, known as auroras, reported Daily Mail.

Colours of the Aurora

According to the report, the different colours in the sky depends on which molecules the charged particles interact with. Oxygen generally emits red and green tones, while nitrogen produces pink and red tones. Hydrogen and helium add blue and purple colour, as per Daily Mail.

When and Where to See the Aurora in the UK

The Met Office said that the phenomenon is expected to become visible in the northern hemisphere when the CME arrives from Tuesday night and would mostly continue into Wednesday, as per Daily Mail.

Best spots to view the aurora around the UK are in areas of high elevation, which is closer to the magnetosphere, and away from cities that pollute the sky with artificial light, reported Daily Mail. The lit sky can be viewed from the Lake District in Cumbria, Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, the Shetland Islands and Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, as per Daily Mail.

Southern Hemisphere Viewing

The beautiful effect also known as aurora australis in the southern hemisphere, can be seen across Tasmania and New Zealand's south island on Tuesday night and Wednesday evening, according to the report.

North America Also Set to Witness the Spectacle

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that the aurora can also be watched in North America, mostly people in Canada and Alaska might be able to catch a glimpse, as per Daily Mail.

According to the report, even people in the United States might get a chance to see, especially those in Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and the very northern tip of Idaho.

FAQs

Can I see the Northern Lights if I live in the UK?
Yes. It can be seen from Lake District in Cumbria, Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, the Shetland Islands and Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, as per Daily Mail. Clear skies away from city lights offer the best chances.

What causes the different colours in the Northern Lights?
The colours depend on which gases in the atmosphere the particles interact with. Oxygen gives off green and red hues, while nitrogen creates pink and purple tones.