Scotland may see Northern Lights on Boxing Day as Aurora Borealis set to 'peak'

An infamous phenomenon is set to peak on Boxing Day, and people in Scotland could enjoy a festive light show.

The Met Office space weather centre has confirmed that despite the aurora borealis being less visible recently, the Northern Lights may be seen in Scotland on December 26. The Daily Record reports that there is a chance that the sky lights could be spotted in the far north as the auroral oval is "likely to see enhancement" on Christmas Day.

The meteorological service added that if a coronal mass ejection (CME) and fast wind combine, then Boxing Day will provide an even greater opportunity to spot the lights.

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On December 26, the weather service said: "The auroral oval is likely to see enhancement at times in this period, initially from a fast wind but on 26 December from a fast wind and potentially a CME, probably resulting in the peak display.

"This may be visible across Scotland and similar geomagnetic latitudes at peak, but this relies on both a notable fast wind and a CME combining, and neither feature is assured."

And while it has been reported that Boxing Day is set to be cloudy, the east of the country will hopefully see clear skies in the evening. There was minor activity spotted on Christmas Eve but it did not translate into an auroral display, according to AuroraWatch UK.

The Northern Lights are a phenomenon that are created as a result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. This situation creates spectacular light displays in the skies over northern latitudes. The same phenomena can also be seen in the Southern Hemisphere, known as aurora australis.

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Light pollution has an effect on the visibility of the Northern Lights, so they are best viewed in a remote location - but can sometimes still be visible in cities. In Scotland, the lights can be viewed best in Shetland, Orkney, Cairngorms, Outer and Inner Hebrides, and Caithness and Sutherland.

Cottages and Castles have given advice on how to catch an aurora in Scotland. They included the following tips:

Check the weather forecast – the best conditions are clear and still nights.

Find a remote area where you are not in sight of street lights, as they can tamper with your view.

Wrap up warmly with several layers of insulation. It is also a good idea to come armed with a blanket, and a flask of hot tea or coffee.

Keep an eye out for unusual light patterns in the sky. Sometimes it can look like a faint flicker of colour, and other times you will have no doubt that it is the auroras.

Take your camera – you will want to try and capture the memory.

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