Edinburgh skies were painted green last night (September 18) due to a spectacular display of the Northern Lights, even though it’s the middle of September. What is more, those who are keen for a wee evening stroll or a night hike can adventure outside into the low-light parts of Edinburgh could see it again tonight (September 19). And if lucky, maybe they will be able to witness the Northern Lights tonight, as the chances are “strong” across Scotland.
The Met Office said:
“The coming three-day period is likely to see some enhanced auroral displays at high geomagnetic latitudes, with aurora perhaps visible overhead for northern Scotland to start Tuesday following recent CME (coronal mass ejection) arrival, and visible perhaps as far south as Northern Ireland and northern England though cloud likely limiting any view further south.
Activity could extend overnight into early Wednesday, though conditions, unfortunately, look unfavourable for prolonged clear skies for most regions at present.”
Where to watch the Northern Lights in Edinburgh
Those sound like great news, presenting Edinburghers with the perfect opportunity to invoke our sense of adventure on a warm(ish) summer night. A good place to start aurora hunting would be away from light pollution and facing the northern hemisphere. However, as the nights are way shorter now, the chances are, understandably smaller to witness aurora borealis during summertime. Tonight, the sun will set at 7:20 pm and rise again at 6:53 am.
A good place to start would be Blackford Hill, as that’s where the Royal Observatory is. Of course, if your sense of adventure is even bigger than going up wee hills, you could also just climb up Arthur’s Seat. What is more, those not wanting any more cardio tonight can opt for a stroll along Portobello or Crammond beaches to allow for some uninterrupted dark views over the water. It is advised that aurora hunters steer away from the city lights for the best chances of seeing the majestic space phenomena.
So, not only could we see the Northern Lights in Scotland, but also it could potentially be seen in northern England or Northern Ireland, so let’s pray to the weather gods for a clear evening, as there is some cloud cover forecast.