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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Jacob Rawley & Katie Williams

Chance to spot Northern Lights in Edinburgh tonight due to powerful sun storm

The Met Office has predicted that the Northern Lights could light up the Scottish skies tonight and the early hours of tomorrow.

Those with clear skies and little pollution may have a stronger chance of catching the aurora borealis, which has been spotted on Edinburgh's coastline a number of times this year already.

As the Daily Record reports, it comes after a "fairly large" Coronal Mass Ejection occurred earlier this week - which is when a magnetic field and plasma mass is shot out from the sun into space.

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The Met Office forecast states: "Auroral oval is currently at or near background levels.

"No significant enhancements are expected until later on 10 or early 11 May with the anticipated arrival of a fairly large Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that left the sun late on 07 May.

"In the most likely scenario, aurora would become visible where skies are clear to Scotland as well as the north of England and Northern Ireland."

The best conditions to see the Northern Lights are when it's clear skies and less light pollution. Previously Edinburgh locals have been able to see the light display in places such as Portobello, Granton Harbour, and on the Pentland hills.

"Showers mostly dying out, though some persisting in the north and west. Turning chilly where cloud breaks, with some patchy mist and fog developing," says the forecaster.

The Northern Lights - or Aurora Borealis are caused by solar activity and are best seen in dark conditions facing the northern horizon.

The Met Office says: "The Northern Lights occur as a consequence of solar activity and result from collisions of charged particles in the solar wind colliding with molecules in the Earth's upper atmosphere.

"The best conditions to view the lights are when the sky is dark and clear of any clouds. Cloud cover ultimately blocks the view of the light.

"Ideally, the lights will be best viewed away from any light pollution, in remote areas, facing the northern horizon - north-facing coasts produce some of the best viewing locations."

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