The Northern Lights might be visible across parts of the UK tonight, offering another chance to witness this rare and spectacular phenomenon.

The aurora borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, could once again light up the skies tonight, following a previous appearance earlier this year.

Strong geomagnetic storm conditions forecast in the Northern Hemisphere could result in aurora displays over Northern Ireland, northern England, and similar latitudes, although visibility might be impeded by the near-full moon and limited hours of darkness.

The Met Office has predicted that the best time to view the Northern Lights will be around midnight.

The national weather forecaster said on its website: “Ideally, the lights will be best viewed away from any light pollution, in remote areas, facing the northern horizon – north-facing coasts produce some of the best viewing locations.

“Predominantly the Northern Lights are best witnessed in Scotland, North England, North Wales and Northern Ireland. However, under severe space weather conditions, the lights can be seen throughout the UK.

Space weather expert Dr. Tamitha Skov said on X: “The window for arrival starts early July 24. Likely the storm will be fashionably late, due to slow solar wind ‘traffic’ & an additional glancing storm blow ahead of it.”

She also mentioned the geomagnetic conditions could reach G1 to G2 levels, a significant, though not extreme, level of solar storm activity.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles, resulting in vibrant light displays.

“The purple, blue and pink comes from nitrogen and when you get a very strong aurora sometimes you see a sort of scarlet red,” Professor Carole Haswell explained.

For the best chance of seeing the northern lights tonight, it is recommended to head to a remote area with a clear view of the northern horizon, away from city lights. Keep an eye on the Met Office updates for the latest information on viewing conditions.