People in some parts of the UK could spot the Northern Lights tonight as a rare amber alert was issued by Aurora Watch, as long as the clouds do not spoil the chances
Stargazers have the chance of spotting the Northern Lights in parts of the UK tonight.
A rare amber alert has been issued by Aurora Watch, with a lucky few potentially able to spot the phenomena. The alert covers the most northern part of Scotland.
All is not lost however for other parts of the country as a green alert is also in place in northern England. A yellow alert covers the east of Scotland, meaning many people could get a once in a lifetime opportunity of spotting the lights from their own homes – as long as clouds do not ruin their fun.
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The reason why we’re being treated to the Aurora Borealis more often than usual is that the sun has now entered its period of greatest activity. This means Britons could be seeing more colourful displays of the Aurora Borealis until the middle of next year. Our home star typically follows an 11-year-cycle, with periods of intense activity followed by a quiet phase.
During its active bursts, also known as solar maximum, the sun releases charged particles that travel through space at speeds of around one million miles per hour. Some of the particles are captured by the Earth’s magnetic field and collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms and molecules in the atmosphere.
Photographer Iain Watts says nailing the best photo of the natural spectacle is all about planning and preparation. An Aurora forecasting app can give you a heads up on when the northern lights will be visible in your area, reports the Liverpool Echo.
A phone’s camera should automatically switch to Night mode, but if it doesn’t, you can manually activate it. You’re free to play around with your exposure settings, but if you’re using a phone camera, consider downloading a long exposure app to do the heavy lifting for you.
