Forecaster said the Earth is set to be hit by a plasma cloud from the Sun potentially making an amazing display
12:19, 01 Sep 2025Updated 13:54, 01 Sep 2025
A coronal mass ejection is set to hit the Earth this evening potentially causing a northern lights display(Image: John Myers)
People in England could see the Northern Lights tonight – as the Met Office says a plasma cloud is set to hit the earth later. The space forecast service said it could las as long as to September 3 potentially giving a lengthy display.
In an update, the Met Office said the fast-moving coronal mass ejection happened from the Sun on Saturday – and will hit our atmosphere later. It said: “The auroral oval is expected to remain mostly at background levels initially, with only minimal enhancements.
“However, a fast-moving coronal mass ejection (CME) that departed the Sun late on 30 August is forecast to arrive at Earth late on 1 September or early on 2 September (UTC). Following its arrival, a significant enhancement of the auroral oval is likely, potentially continuing into 3 September.
“At peak activity, and where skies are sufficiently dark and clear, aurora may be visible as far south as East Anglia, the Midlands, Wales, and other regions at similar geomagnetic latitudes—without the need for photographic equipment. However, a waxing gibbous Moon may hinder visibility in some areas.”
A coronal mass ejection is an event in which a large cloud of energetic and highly magnetised plasma erupts from the solar corona into space, causing radio and magnetic disturbances on Earth.
The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are typically only visible from northern latitudes. However, in the event of a coronal mass ejection (CME) – an explosion of charged particles from the Sun – aurora can reach more southern latitudes, such as the UK.
The Met Office says visible aurora could reach as far south as East Anglia, the Midlands, Wales and Bristol tonight, where skies are dark and clear.
According to Met Office space weather maps, the best time to catch a view of the Northern Lights tonight is between 9pm on September 1 until midnight, with visibility possible until around 3am on September 2.
It warned that a waxing gibbous Moon, which is more than 50 per cent illuminated, may hinder visibility in some areas.
Cloud may also affect visibility across parts of the UK. However, clear skies are forecast across large parts of England, Wales and northern Scotland at the time of the aurora.
The Northern Lights are caused by large explosions of activity from the Sun, which throw out huge amounts of charged particles – called solar wind – into space.
When these particles are captured by the Earth’s magnetic field they can collide with gas molecules in the atmosphere in an event called a geomagnetic storm. Light is emitted from these collisions at various wavelengths, forming spectacular colourful displays in the sky.
The UK is seeing more aurora displays at the moment thanks to the Sun’s solar cycle. We are currently near the peak of the 11-year solar cycle, known as the ‘solar maximum’ according to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). Sunspots, flares and CMEs all become more rampant during the solar maximum, the RAS says.
The higher the geomagnetic activity, the greater the chance of seeing the aurora borealis at lower latitudes, including the UK.