You’ll want to keep an eye on the skies
Aside from northern Scotland, the UK isn’t known as a prime viewing location for the northern lights, but in 2024 the aurora borealis was seen in locations like the Lake District, Cornwall, Kent and even London. It’s rare to spot the aurora so far south, and especially in areas that suffer from light pollution, so why has there been an increase in sightings?
The aurora borealis forms when charged particles caused by solar storms collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, reacting with gases in the atmosphere and resulting in different colours appearing in the sky. In periods of heightened solar activity, the stronger geomagnetic storms can push the aurora further south, which is why we’ve been able to see them in different parts of the country over the last year. The sun is approaching the solar maximum, the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, so it’s likely that we’ll get more aurora sightings in early 2025.
For the best chance to spot the northern lights you do want to get as far north as possible, preferably in an area with clear skies, though we’re hoping for another burst across the capital. You can follow AuroraWatch UK too, which tracks the geomagnetic activity to see when the aurora might next be visible.
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