The Northern Lights could make another showing over Scotland tonight amid the beginning of aurora borealis season.
The potential appearance follows an impressive display on Sunday evening. Stargazers beheld a spectacle over the weekend when a geomagnetic storm led to a strong showing of the otherworldly phenomenon.
It so happens another opportunity is on the cards this Monday (October 3). The Met Office's space weather forecast reports the auroras could be visible in parts of Scotland this evening - if the stormy weather allows it.
The Met Office predicts: "There is the potential for enhanced auroral oval overnight on the 3rd and through the 4th, due to a mixture of fast solar winds alongside low confidence CME arrivals.
"Aurora has the potential to be visible from latitudes such as Northern Scotland given any cloud breaks. The auroral oval is then likely to trend towards background levels by the 5th."
Sadly, it's possible some cloud cover could thwart some stargazers. The forecaster issued a rain warning for parts of western Scotland on Tuesday, followed by a wind warning for the entire country the following day.
The Northern Lights are best visible starting from the end of September through the winter months. Although Nordic countries are typically the best places to spot them, people in Scotland are also well-positioned given the nation's high latitude.
The breathtaking event happens due to fast winds originating from the sun. The ribbons of light are the result of the solar winds colliding with the planet's magnetic field.
"The sun continuously produces a solar wind, made of charged particles that flows outward into the solar system," explains NASA.
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