Met Office issues update on chances of seeing Northern Lights again tonight

The stunning natural phenomenon was seen in Devon and Cornwall last night

Residents across Devon and Cornwall were treated to a breathtaking display of the Northern Lights last night (Thursday, October 10). The sky was filled with spectacular hues of pink, purple, blue, and green as the aurora borealis made its grand appearance lasting into the early hours of today.

The nation was awash with stunning images of this dazzling natural spectacle. Thanks to clear skies, the lights were visible as far south as Sussex and as far north as Scotland, providing a 'decent chance of visibility' of the aurora.

A Met Office spokesperson revealed that there have been 'more space weather events in recent months', including the Northern Lights, due to the sun nearing the peak of its solar cycle. Earth's auroras, typically seen over high polar latitudes but occasionally spreading south, are primarily influenced by geomagnetic storms originating from solar activity, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The sun operates on an approximately 11-year cycle known as the solar cycle, with peak sunspot activity on the sun's surface referred to as the solar maximum. These sunspots can potentially trigger Earth-directed releases of large energy bursts, known as coronal mass ejections, which can lead to aurora visibility.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles. The spectacular display is caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere. But will the Northern Lights be visible again tonight?

Although the Met Office previously stated that last night was the best time to see the aurora, with the lights expected to be at their strongest around 10pm, they also mentioned that there was a possibility of them appearing between 10pm and 11pm tonight.

However, the chances of witnessing the Northern Lights again tonight are much lower. The Met Office's latest space weather forecast indicates that the likelihood of seeing the aurora will gradually decrease through October 11 and become limited to far northern geomagnetic latitudes by October 13.

Professor Jim Wild, a 49-year-old academic from Lancaster University who studies the aurora and space weather, was able to capture the Northern Lights from his back garden last night. He shared the special experience with his family, saying: "My research focuses on the physics of the connections between the sun and the Earth.

""I've had the opportunity to visit the Arctic Circle multiple times to take measurements of the aurora, but seeing the Northern Lights from my own back garden with my entire family is truly special."