Northern lights displays could continue in uk tonight after red alert issued

PARTS OF THE UK, NORTH AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA WERE TREATED TO DAZZLING AURORA ACTIVITY ON SUNDAY NIGHT 11:26, 02 Jun 2025 Sky watchers could be treated to a second night of Northern Lights on

Monday night (June 2). The Met Office has said Earth was hit by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun on June 1, leading to a higher chance of aurora displays. Also known as the aurora

borealis, the Northern Lights could continue throughout Monday night into Tuesday morning (June 3), the Met Office said. Auroras are caused by large explosions of activity from the Sun,

which throw out huge amounts of charged particles – called solar wind – into space. When these particles are captured by the Earth's magnetic field they can collide with gas molecules

in the atmosphere in an event called a geomagnetic storm. Light is emitted from these collisions at various wavelengths, forming spectacular colourful displays in the sky. Article continues

below The Northern Lights are typically limited to northern latitudes, such as northern parts of Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Alaska. However, we are currently in the peak of the

Sun's 11-year solar cycle, making solar activity – and aurora displays – more frequent and intense, reaching more southern latitudes. The Met Office said on X on Sunday (June 1):

"There's a chance of seeing the #aurora tonight, possibly as far south as the Midland and Wales. "Most likely though, the #northernlights will be visible for Scotland,

northern England and Northern Ireland, where clear skies allow." AuroraWatch UK, the service monitoring atmospheric conditions across the country, also issued several red alerts on

Sunday, meaning "it is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK." Now, the Met Office says aurora activity will "become progressively

confined to Northern Ireland and Scotland." The Met Office said in its space weather forecast on Monday (June 2): "Earth is under the influence of a Coronal Mass Ejection that

arrived during the UTC morning of 01 Jun and which saw significant enhancements to the auroral oval. "The activity may last during the early hours of Monday as the solar winds remain

very strong and turbulent before waning Monday night into Tuesday. "While aurora sightings are possible down to central parts of the UK and similar latitudes at first, they will become

progressively confined to northern Ireland and Scotland. Short hours of darkness may limit any viewing though." According to Met Office aurora maps, the best time to see the Northern

Lights in the UK is between 9pm and midnight on Monday night (June 2). Sunset in the UK is around 9.30pm and it typically takes 30 to 60 minutes after sunset for it to get fully dark, making

10.30pm a good time for aurora watchers to look for dazzling displays. The Met Office says there are up to six sunspot regions visible on the Earth-facing side of the Sun at the moment,

which are triggering solar winds. It says that residual geomagnetic storms are 'likely' on Monday evening, with aurora sightings in the UK most likely in Scotland, northern England

and Northern Ireland. The weather agency wrote: "Solar winds were indicative of a Coronal Mass Ejection arrival. Solar wind speeds were strong and around 700 km/s initially, under the

influence of a large coronal hole. However they rose sharply at 01/0525 UTC, reaching 980 km/s. It added: "Resulting geomagnetic activity was strong, with several G3/Strong Storm

intervals and even a G4/Severe Storm period between 01/0900-1200 UTC . Article continues below "Geomagnetic activity is therefore expected to see occasional G1-G2/Minor-Moderate storm

intervals during the UTC morning of Day 1 (02 Jun) with perhaps a slight chance of an isolated G3/Strong period. "There is some uncertainty surrounding the longevity of the magnetic

cloud and its impacts, but the activity is expected to become Unsettled to Active with a chance of G1 (Minor) Storm intervals at the end of Day 1 and into Day 2 (03 Jun)."