Northern lights in the UK

[HowdoIgetbacktothe80s]

For as long as I can remember, my dream is to witness the Northern Lights with my very own eyes.
The plan was to go to Norway for my 50th (which is next month) in the hope of catching a glimpse of the elusive wonder. However, due to health issues and lack of funds this won’t happen (and probably never will).
So I nearly peed my pants when on the news this morning they say that due to a solar flare the Aurora Borealis was, last night, seen in various places across the U.K. more areas than ever before.
However, I am on the Essex/Suffolk boarder so am probably not going to be so lucky as some but will be keeping my eyes very much peeled over the next few days.
Have you seen the Northern Lights in the U.K.? Did you see them last night and is there anywhere such as Scotland etc where I may be able to fulfil my dream and see them on U.K. soil, one day in the future?

They are more visible on a camera (even a phone camera) with a long exposure than to the naked eye. Find somewhere dark with as little light pollution as possible and a clear view to the north. Keep an eye on the information sources already mentioned, I also like astrodog on Facebook for aurora (and general star gazing) information . Good luck.

I'm near you OP and looked just after midnight last night but couldn't see a thing. I'll be looking again tonight!

people on this thread may find this website useful

I have been lucky enough to see the Aurora borealis in Scotland and Yorkshire several times, as well as Finland.

If you have Facebook, look on the Scotland from the roadside page. There's loads of posts on there with photos from last night and it'll tell you where they were taken.

Apparently they were visible in our area of north Lancashire last night but we were away 🙁.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads where in Yorkshire. Saw them a few times when I lived in St Andrews but yet to see them in Yorkshire! I think there's too much light pollution where I live on the outskirts of Bradford 😑

BBC says they were visible in Kent so Essex/Suffolk must be in with a chance!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64782372

Just near me at home, hills above Holmfirth. Last time was a few years ago, and totally unexpected.

Whats the best time to check?

We are in North Yorkshire and am hoping we might have a chance tonight!

See them Alot down here in SW Scotland. Live rural though so no light pollution, was strong last night, I've never picked up the pink before.

The best time to check is when the levels are high. This includes things like coronal ejections, solar winds etc. These things may converge all at the right time and cause an aurora of they might not. So there can be predictions based on solar activity and when this might reach earth but they don't always result in an aurora. So it is simply not possible to say now when might be a good time to check tonight, you must need to keep an eye on the apps really.

Thank a everyone. I’m so jealous of those who have managed to get a glimpse, those photos do look amazing but any streak of colour will excite me, I absolutely love natural phenomena. I will definitely download the apps recommended and just hope something comes our way here in boring ole Essex, although we are highly populated here so may be too much light, fingers crossed though.

That’s right where I am on the North Kent Coast. It was visible but I wonder if that’s because it just happened to coincide with a widespread power outage across the local area (there’s some lights in the picture but there was a lot of areas in blackout last night. (Photo credit Jamie Lalley)

Other than the west coast of Scotland or east Sussex/Kent, the Met Office say there is too much cloud cover tonight. They are not always right mind.

www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/maps-and-charts/cloud-cover-map#?bbox=[[40.44694705960048,-46.1865234375],[65.09064558256854,38.18847656250001&model=ukmo-ukv&layer=cloud-amount-total Met Office cloud cover]]

I got long exposure photos of them from my back garden last night (Central Scotland) but didn't see them with the naked eye although I think if I'd been out half an hour earlier I would have. I have once seen them with the naked from here and it was just a faint glow, and I've once seen them in Aberdeenshire dancing around a bit.

Lets hope we strike lucky tonight SunnySnowdrop 🤞

@wishingchair1 @Rowthe You could be lucky any time from dusk onwards as long as it isn't cloudy.

I'm quite near Inverness and didn't see them. I've never seen them actually, though I do look. Seems like they could be seen from everywhere around my bit last night, I will definitely be watching out again this evening.

I hope so. Forecast looks a bit cloudy though.

I’ve just been out, it’s a lovely clear night but sadly no sign of anything special.

Saw them faintly in Kent out to sea very near where the pic up thread was taken. Don’t give up … they’re supposed to be getting stronger over the coming days.

Omg I’m crying. I think I’ve just seen them a teeny bit in Devon! They were green, and moving. Took a photo. When I went back to look again it had gone. I’m nearly 60 and have wanted to see them my whole life. Thank you so much for this thread

Cloudy and drizzly here

Has nobody watched Day of The Triffids!!!