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Kieran Isgin & Matt Gibson

Northern Lights Met Office forecast as solar storm could lead to aurora borealis over UK

Hopeful stargazers in the UK might be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights on Monday night, the Met Office has said.

On Sunday night the Northern Lights were visible over parts of the UK after a solar storm caused the Aurora - also known as the Northern Lights to be more visible.

Physicists have been trying to forecast when the solar storm is going to hit Earth and tracking its movements. Data from Nasa and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) based in the US suggests it is likely to strike the planet over the next fortnight.

Read more: The Northumberland destination named one of the best for stargazing

On Sunday night and into Monday morning there were a number of sighting of the colourful lights above the Scotland and people in the UK have another chance of catching the Northern Lights tonight.

The Met Office notes that Solar activity has been moderate over the past 24 hours with one slow weak Coronal Mass Ejection observed on March 13 giving a glancing blow at Earth. While the chances of seeing it tonight are less likely than yesterday, the Met Office says there's still a small chance of seeing the colourful display.

Today there will be a chance of Moderate-class solar flares but the effects will be far less notable than yesterday's events. The greatest chance of seeing a Northern Lights event in the UK tonight will be in Scotland where you are most likely to see the aurora borealis caused by solar activity.

"Effects are expected to start waning through today, with aurora sightings still likely at high latitudes," forecasters said. "Chances of aurora in the UK tonight are declining, and expected to be confined to mostly northern parts of Scotland under clear skies."

Data from Nasa and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggested there is an 80 per cent chance that Earth will experience a major space storm tonight.

When and where to see the Northern Lights

The best place to catch the lights is from somewhere high up and as dark as possible. Remote areas away from any light pollution are your best bet.

The lights can be seen any time after it gets dark - but, statistically, the most likely time to see them is between 10pm and midnight. According to AuroraWatch UK, this is when aurora substorms generally tend to peak.

However, trying to work out exactly when the lights will be visible is very tricky. Many people prefer to keep track of alerts, which can you tell you when activity is at its highest, rather than stay out all night waiting. AuroraWatch UK sends out real-time alerts on Twitter.

The Northern Lights are regularly spotted over the North East, but it takes a huge amount of luck to turn up and spot the Northern Lights with the naked eye - this is even true in Scandinavia. Many photographers use a tripod and long exposure length to take photos of the Aurora, meaning that the lights can seem brighter and more impressive in photographs.

Top tips for seeing the Northern Lights include stay away from light pollution, wrap up warm, keep up to date with the latest light activity (by following AuroraWatch UK on Twitter) and check the weather forecast - your best chance of seeing the Northern Lights is in a clear sky.

Dan Pye, Director of Astronomy and Science Communication at Kielder Observatory had some recommendations for the best ways to see the Northern Lights. He said: "(Go) somewhere high and dark. You've got to get a good view of the North. Sometimes being out at the coast is good because you can see more sky there. But essentially, a northern view is good."

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