THE Northern Lights could be visible over Warrington tonight following a red alert by Aurora Watch UK.
The group of space physicists at Lancaster University that monitor the chance of possible auroras in the UK issued the red alert today, Sunday, June 1, with the best chances of viewing the phenomenon from 11 pm.
This alert means that an aurora, normally associated with the Arctic Circle during periods of heightened solar activity, is likely to be visible by both the naked eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.
It happened several times over last year, including May and October, with stargazers in Warrington catching some stunning images of the Aurora Borealis.
Picture Clairey Bee
May 2024
Although sightings have been less frequent since the turning of the new year, the red alert issued this morning indicates a sighting could be possible possible.
The Northern Lights will usually, when visible, be prominent from 11 pm onwards, with sightings often made in the early hours of the morning.
They more commonly appear in high-latitude regions such as the Arctic or Scandinavia.
Their colourful glow is created by a stream of charged particles that have escaped the sun (known as solar wind) interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field.
The particles hit the atmosphere at high speed and combine with oxygen and nitrogen to create a multicoloured burst.
