When you'll be 'likely' to see Northern Lights as rare red alert issued for UK

Northern Lights hunters grab your mobile phones and coats, as those elusive green waves are set to be visible in the UK again.

The update comes from research published by AuroraWatch UK, an app which tracks the likelihood of seeing the aurora borealis across the country, with a red alert issued for certain areas of the country.

The update follows previous guidance from the Met Office, which stated that we may have a chance of seeing the lights tonight (October 7) and into the early hours of Tuesday morning.

However your chances of actually seeing the lights will vary greatly, depending on the location you're in.

"There is a slight chance of seeing aurora across the north of Scotland during Monday night and into Tuesday morning, depending on cloud cover," Met Office spokesperson Andrea Bishop explained to The Sun.

"From tomorrow onwards, we expect to see a gradual reduction in the chances of aurora, with any activity likely to remain confined to northern Scotland if at all."

Red alert: aurora likely. Issued 2024-10-07 18:21 UTC (19:21 BST) by @aurorawatchuk. #aurora pic.twitter.com/VjV2pkrRFL

— AuroraWatch UK (@aurorawatchuk) October 7, 2024

Explaining the increase of solar activity over the past year, she added: "The Sun goes through an 11-year solar cycle and at the moment, the Sun is approaching something called 'solar maximum' which is when it is most active and there is a higher chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis."

If you're hoping to try and catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, AuroraWatch also has the probability of sightings laid out in a very helpful map form, which can be viewed here.

Unsurprisingly, the best chance of seeing the lights is confined to northern Scotland and the Shetland Islands.

However it's not all bad news for the rest of the country, as the website reports sightings as far south as Lancaster. Your chances are also completely dependent on weather conditions, with clouds and rain being obvious obstructions to the night sky.

What is the best way to see the Northern Lights?

Should you ever find yourself north enough to have a high possibility of catching the Northern Lights you'll want to grab your phone before heading out. (Assuming you're not sick to death of hearing about them)

Cameras with long exposure are going to be your best bet in this scenario, as they can capture colours not visible to the human eye.

"Cameras help as the long exposure allows loads of light in and enhances the colours more than the human eye can see," a spokesperson for the Met Office explained.

"That is why you see pictures as far south as Cornwall sometimes though you’re unlikely to see it with the naked eye that far south."