Residents across Worcestershire, Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands are being urged to keep an eye on the skies, as the Northern Lights could remain visible until Wednesday evening.
The spectacular natural phenomenon, officially known as the aurora borealis, was spotted in parts of the UK on Monday night after a powerful burst of solar activity reached Earth.
The event was triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME), a huge release of plasma and magnetic energy from the Sun, which left the Sun late on Saturday and struck Earth on Monday, boosting geomagnetic activity and creating the conditions for auroras to be seen.
According to the Met Office, there is still a chance of sightings until mid-week, though cloud cover could limit visibility in many places. Northern England and Scotland are forecast to have the clearest skies and the best opportunities to witness the display.
Here in the Midlands, views are less certain, with light pollution and partially cloudy weather making conditions more difficult. However, experts say it is still worth stepping outside on clear evenings, particularly in rural areas away from town and city lights. A waxing gibbous moon will also brighten the night sky and may reduce visibility further.
What causes the Northern Lights?
The aurora borealis occurs when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere, guided by the planet’s magnetic field. These interactions release bursts of light that shimmer across the sky in colours such as green, purple and red.
While these dazzling light shows are usually confined to polar regions, strong solar activity, like the recent CME, can push the aurora further south, giving people across the UK a rare chance to see it.
So, if skies are clear in the coming nights, residents are encouraged to wrap up warm, head to a dark spot, and look north, you might just catch a glimpse of one of nature’s most beautiful spectacles.
Main Image: For illustration purposes only. Image created with with AI.
