The green hues of the Northern lights lit up our skies last night in clear areas, delighting aurora hunters all the way from Northern Scotland to as far south as the North East.
The first alert for the Northern lights came in on Saturday, October 18, letting us know of a coronal mass ejection with a chance to spot the aurora in the UK. As a result, there is a chance to spot the stunning natural phenomena once again during the dark hours on Saturday, October 18, going into Sunday, October 19, until around 3am.
Could you see it again in Edinburgh tonight?
The Met Office forecast for tonight says: “The chances of visible high geomagnetic latitude aurora are greatest at the very start of the period, with a progressive waning into the new UTC working week otherwise expected. Northern Scotland and similar geomagnetic latitudes are most likely to experience displays.“
According to the weather forecast, it looks like Edinburgh will see cloud coverage for most of the day, however, the skies could clear up from around 3am.
What is a coronal mass ejection?
According to the Met Office, a coronal mass ejection is “an ejection of material from the sun’s surface into interplanetary space. If the material is directed towards the Earth, the event may result in a geomagnetic storm”. A geomagnetic storm is “a temporary disturbance in the Earth’s magnetosphere”, which is brought on by solar wind.
Where to see the Northern Lights?
To snag the best chance of witnessing the aurora, watchers must go to the darkest spot possible. Beaches, elevated parks and hills work well for city areas, but going into the countryside will increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights even more. Why not stroll along the nearby beaches outside of Glasgow, such as Lunderston Bay or Millport Pier, to allow for some uninterrupted dark views over the water. As always, do check the weather forecast before heading out!