STARGAZERS across Scotland could be treated to a dazzling display of the Northern Lights in the late hours of this evening.
Those with very little light pollution and clear skies may have a chance to see the light show, with the Met Office predicting it could be visible for some.
In a statement, the Met Office said: “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.
“There is a slight chance that the auroral oval could move further south to allow views from North Wales and the Midlands given clear views of the northern horizon.”
What causes the Northern Lights to appear?
The forecast comes after a “fairly large” Coronal Mass Ejection – which is when a magnetic field and plasma mass is shot from the sun into space and occurred earlier this week.
The Met Office stated: “No significant enhancements are expected until later on 10 or early 11 May with the anticipated arrival of a fairly large Coronal Mass Ejection that left the sun late on May 7.
“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.“
Clouds are set to break this evening although the spectacle could be spoiled for some by mist.
The forecaster said showers would “mostly die out” but that some “patchy mist and fog” would be developing.
It added: “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.”
