The Northern Lights may be visible across much of the UK tonight, the Met Office said.
A fast-moving coronal mass ejection (CME) left the Sun late on Saturday night and is forecast to arrive at Earth either late on Monday or early Tuesday.
It is expected to enhance geomagnetic activity, creating conditions that could allow the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, to be visible further south than usual, provided skies are sufficiently dark and clear, the Met Office added.
There's a decent chance of seeing the aurora tonight - it may be visible as far south as the Midlands (perhaps even further south) 🌃 pic.twitter.com/pPxPv1L0YC
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 1, 2025
The Met Office expects that at the peak of geomagnetic activity, there is a chance aurora may be visible across much of the UK.
These displays may be visible to the naked eye, without the need for photographic equipment, which is relatively rare for locations this far south in the UK, the Met Office said.
The best chance of seeing the aurora remains in the north of the UK.
If under clear skies visibility is still tricky, photography can help, the forecaster said.
However, there are several factors that may affect visibility.
The weather forecast from Monday to Wednesday indicates lots of cloud cover throughout the evening, with the Midlands most likely to have the least cloud and, therefore, potentially the best viewing conditions on Monday, the Met Office said.
Tuesday and Wednesday sees night time viewing conditions worsen, with northern Scotland and northern England likely to have the clearest skies, although still not ideal viewing conditions.
A waxing gibbous moon will also be present, which could disrupt clear views of the aurora, particularly in areas with additional light pollution.
For those in more marginal locations, further south or in urban areas, light pollution will play a significant role in determining whether the aurora can be seen.
Krista Hammond, Met Office space weather manager, said: “As we monitor the arrival of this coronal mass ejection, there is a real possibility of aurora sightings further south than usual on Monday night.
“While the best views are likely further north, anyone with clear, dark skies should keep an eye out.
“Forecasts can change rapidly, so we encourage the public to stay updated with the latest information.”
A coronal mass ejection is a release of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona, the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere.
These ejections can travel at speeds of up to several million kilometres per hour and, when directed towards Earth, can interact with our planet’s magnetic field.
This interaction can trigger geomagnetic storms, which in turn can produce displays of the aurora.
