Aurora borealis could be visible from parts of the UK this evening, with a possibility for residents in Northern Ireland to catch the dazzling lights display.
Known as the Northern Lights, these stunning, colourful displays are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind, resulting in unique, picturesque flowing lights.
ITV weather presenter Alex Beresford said this afternoon that there was a chance to see aurora borealis this evening but that it would depend on how cloudy things were.
He tweeted: “There’s a chance to see the aurora tonight, more so in the north.
“Lots of solar activity and a release of plasma from the sun is set to collide with earth’s atmosphere amounting in this beautiful light display.
“Spoiler: Could be cloudy but fingers crossed.”
The Met Office gave a strong indication that cloud breaks could be possible in Northern Ireland tonight, meaning that people from here would have one of the best chances of catching the phenomenon.
The Met Office said: "Aurora is possible tonight across Scotland, although increasing cloud cover limits the potential for sightings . There is a slight chance of aurora reaching the far north of England and Northern Ireland tonight, with the best of the cloud breaks likely in Northern Ireland."
The website AuroraWatch UK, run by scientists at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics, revealed that aurora borealis would be most visible tonight between the hours of 9pm and 11pm .
Due to the fact that the lights are concentrated at the north pole, the Northern Lights are generally more visible in the northernmost parts of the UK.
However, the lights have been spotted plenty of times in Northern Ireland in the past.
Staying away from light pollution, found in big cities and towns, can increase your chances of being able to see the aurora borealis.
