Here’s how to make sure you don’t miss the Northern Lights this evening

If you’re dying to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, there’s a way not to miss it. Yorkshire was treated to a spectacular night of Northern Lights on Friday, and hundreds headed out with their cameras to the area’s most beautiful spots in the hope of another show on Saturday.

Unfortunately last night’s promise of bright skies was not quite fulfilled as there were too many clouds in the sky to repeat Friday’s sensational performance. And although thousands saw the lights, many people were disappointed because they did not hear about the event in time.

Described by some as a “bucket list” experience, this natural phenomenon is not to be missed. To avoid disappointment tonight, following news that it could be seen again between 10pm and 2am, you can download a free app called AuroraWatch UK to your phone.

Read more: Will you be able to see the Northern Lights tonight? Exact time to expect Aurora Borealis on Sunday

Run by scientists from the Space and Planetary Physics Group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics, AuroraWatch UK provides alerts when the Northern Lights may be visible from the UK. You can find it in your phone’s app store under the name AuroraWatch UK Aurora Alerts.

Once downloaded, you will receive a notification on your phone when activity occurs that could result in a display of the Northern Lights. For example, a level red alert was sent out last night, Wales Online reports.

The appearance of the northern lights came after the Met Office reported a rare severe geomagnetic storm for the first time in almost 20 years. The lights first appeared on Friday evening and thousands of people caught a glimpse of the beautiful Yorkshire sky.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said a geomagnetic storm hit Earth on Thursday, resulting in a rainbow of lights in the sky. This was caused by a “large, complex” sunspot cluster 17 times the size of Earth. The last G5 storm occurred in October 2003 and caused power outages in Sweden.

This event lit up our night sky with an enchanting display of pink and green northern lights.

These colored bands were reported across the UK and Europe, reaching as far as Suffolk in the UK. The Met Office has received images of aurora sightings from places as far away as Barcelona and Prague.

To maximize your chances of witnessing such a phenomenon, meteorologists advise us to stay away from streetlights and recommend using a camera to capture the ethereal beauty of the aurora, as it can adapt to different wavelengths better than the human eye .

According to forecasts, visibility of the Northern Lights may not be possible before 11 p.m. at this time of year. Ideally, open areas with a clear view of the northern horizon should be preferred for sightings.

These breathtaking light displays are a result of charged particles colliding with gases in the atmosphere around the magnetic poles. The resulting emission of light of different wavelengths results in colorful galactic vistas in the sky.

In the Northern Hemisphere, auroras typically occur in a region known as the auroral oval, which includes latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees. However, during periods of intense activity this zone expands, meaning auroras may be seen further south, sometimes even in the UK.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has reported that an “extreme” geomagnetic storm of the G5 class, the highest level of this scale, hit the Earth last Thursday. This was due to a “large, complex” sunspot cluster 17 times the diameter of Earth.

It has been over two decades since the last G5 storm hit our planet in October 2003, causing power outages in Sweden. The sun undergoes a polar reversal every 11 years, resulting in increased solar activity and spectacular northern lights.

According to scientists’ forecasts, the upcoming solar maximum is expected towards the end of 2024.

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