The aurora “is likely to be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.”
The Northern Lights could be visible tonight(Image: Katie McMillan / SWNS)
Stargazers are in for a spectacular show this evening as experts issue a red alert — meaning there’s a strong chance of spotting the Northern Lights anywhere in the UK.
The dazzling Aurora Borealis is one of nature’s most breathtaking sights, lighting up the night sky in waves of green, pink, and red. The stunning display happens when charged particles from the Sun — known as solar winds — collide with gases high in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Lancaster University’s AuroraWatch UK issued the rare red alert tonight, saying geomagnetic activity is high enough that the aurora “is likely to be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.”
Their live chart, which measures magnetic activity in nanotesla (nT), showed readings climbing above 200nT — a strong indicator that conditions are perfect for an aurora display, reports the Mirror.
The Met Office also confirmed that “the arrival of a fast solar wind” could boost the spectacle through Saturday and Sunday (UTC), with the best chances of seeing the lights over Scotland and northern parts of the UK.
If you miss out this weekend, don’t worry — the next year promises even more chances. Scientists say 2026 is expected to be the best year in a decade for aurora viewing, with January and February tipped as ideal months.
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs national park is one of the best places to view the Northern Lights in Scotland(Image: Getty Images)
That’s because the Sun is heading toward a solar maximum — a peak in its 11-year activity cycle when magnetic storms are stronger and auroras more frequent. Experts expect this peak to last until March 2026 before easing off again until the mid-2030s.
You don’t need to trek to the Arctic to see the lights either. Popular European spots such as Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland offer some of the best aurora experiences thanks to their location near the Arctic Circle.
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According to NASA, the colours we see depend on which gases are struck by solar particles. Oxygen creates green or red hues — the most familiar colours of the aurora — while nitrogen produces flashes of blue and purple. Some of the light even comes in ultraviolet, invisible to the naked eye but captured by satellites.
So, if the skies stay clear tonight, wrap up warm, head somewhere dark, and keep your eyes peeled — nature’s most magical light show could be dancing right above you.