Scots may want to look to the skies this weekend as forecasters at the Met Office are predicting that sightings of the Northern Lights could be possible.
While the data does not share exact times for the event, the beautiful colours could be seen from Saturday, October 10, to Tuesday, October 13.
A daily chance of enhancing the auroral oval
The space weather forecast reads: "Two glancing coronal mass ejections followed by a coronal hole high speed stream bring a daily chance of enhancing the auroral oval, with sightings possible across northern Scotland and similar geomagnetic longitudes where skies are clear between 10-13 Oct."
Looking at the current Met Office forecasts, the best chances for seeing the Northern Lights could be tonight (October 10) and Tuesday, October 13. This is due to noticeable patches in cloud cover across Scotland throughout the evening and into the early hours of the following morning.
However, chances are looking much slimmer over October 11 and 12 as a significant amount of cloud is set to blanket the country.
Cloud cover could obscure the view
As the Northern Lights can only be seen on clear nights, this excessive cloud makes the chances of catching the colourful display extra difficult.
The Northern Lights, otherwise known as the Aurora Borealis, is triggered by solar activity. This happens when the sun emits charged particles that interact with the Earth's magnetic field. When this collides with gases in the atmosphere, the energy is released in the form of light.
What causes the colours
Each gas creates a different colour, which results in the jaw dropping display. Oxygen creates the green colour and rare reds at higher altitudes, while the nitrogen creates vibrant blues and purples.
Forecasters have shared that earlier this week the sun ejected a major solar flare that was directed towards earth. Still reported to be travelling in our direction, Scots will need to keep their fingers crossed that the weather clears for the striking space event.
Top tips for viewing the Northern Lights
The Met Office has shared some tips on how to have the best chance of viewing the Northern Lights over the coming weeks and months.
- Find dark, clear skies - light pollution and cloud cover can obscure the view.
- Ideal locations - it is best to head to remote areas and look north, such as north-facing coasts.
- Timing - the lights are most active around the equinoxes, but strong solar activity can bring surprises at other times of the year.
