THE NORTHERN Lights are expected to dance over large parts of the UK tonight as a coronal mass ejection from the Sun collides with Earth.
The says a “strong” G3 geomagnetic storm may lead to some sightings over the UK.
However, the forecaster warned that cloud cover may scupper the view.
“The aurora is expected to be at normal background levels until the arrival of a Coronal Mass Ejection, most likely later on Tuesday UTC (15 Apr) and continuing into Wednesday (16 Apr),” the Met Office wrote in its report.
“This is likely to bring the auroral oval to northern parts of the UK and similar geomagnetic latitudes, with a chance of some visibility towards the northern horizon for much of .”
People in the north of Northern Ireland and Scotland are best-placed to see tonight's display.
But even if you're further south, the Met Office says you might still be able to catch the view with a decent camera.
“Cameras help as the long exposure allows loads of light in and enhances the colours more than the human eye can see,” aMet Officespokesperson said.
Tonight's aurora stems from a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a massive plume of plasma spat out from the Sun's corona, its outermost layer.
The display, known as aurora borealis, will likely continue into Wednesday.
That means if you miss it tonight, you'll have another opportunity tomorrow.
Tricks to see the Northern Lights
Avoid light pollution
Avoiding the glow of a city and street lamps is crucial.
Heading to a rural area – if you're not based there already – will grant the best views.
If you are unable to escape light pollution, fear not.
During strong solar storms, the colours of the aurora can be seen even in heavily light-polluted skies.
Get a clear skyline
Having a clear view of the sky is also key – so avoid sitting too close to trees or buildings.
The more sky you see, the more chance you have of catching the aurora.
Snap a picture
Sometimes, aurora can appear white to the human eye.
It can help to take a quick photo on your phone to help reveal the colours.
If you're planning on photographing the aurora properly, you'll need and ideally a tripod.
Wait it out
Experts have also advised that hopeful watchers not be too disheartened if the aurora looks dim at first.
This is because they usually brighten over the course of a few hours.
