Captivating Display: Vibrant Northern Lights Illuminate the Sky

If you live in an area with clear skies, you might want to take a look up at the sky over the next few nights. The chances of catching a glimpse of the aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, have increased in the UK. This is not only because the nights are longer after the autumn equinox, but also because the Sun is reaching the highest point of its 11-year cycle, expected to be at the end of 2024 or early 2025. As a result, the number of sunspots, which are magnetic fields of pressure on the Sun's surface, is increasing. These sunspots can cause coronal mass ejections (CME), where plasma is expelled from the Sun. If a CME is directed towards Earth, it sends charged particles through solar winds into our atmosphere. When these charged particles interact with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, they create the beautiful colors of the aurora borealis that we are familiar with. Aurora have already been spotted in Scotland and parts of England, including North Yorkshire and Herefordshire, with stunning colors like green, red, orange, teal, and purple dancing across the sky. Moderate activity is expected over the next two nights, so if you find yourself outside, keep an eye out for them and have your camera ready!