Met Office reveals if Northern Lights will appear over UK again tonight

People in Greater Manchester and all over the UK were treated to a stunning display of the Northern Lights last night.

Spectacular pinks, purples, blues and greens were spotted as the the lights, or aurora borealis, filled the skies on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday. Stunning pictures of the dazzling natural phenomenon were captured all over our region - you can view our picture gallery HERE.

The lights could also be seen as far south as Sussex and as far north as Scotland thanks to clear skies creating a 'decent chance of visibility' of the aurora. A spokesperson for the Met Office said there had been 'more space weather events in recent months', including the Northern Lights, because the sun was nearing the peak of its solar cycle.

READ NEXT: Why we could see the Northern Lights in the UK last night

The auroras on Earth, which are most commonly seen over high polar latitudes but can spread south, are chiefly influenced by geomagnetic storms which originate from activity on the sun. The sun works on a cycle of around 11 years called the solar cycle – with peak sunspot activity on the surface of the sun referred to as solar maximum.

Sunspots give the potential for Earth-directed releases of large bursts of energy, called 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.

As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky. But will we be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights again tonight?

The Met Office said previously that Thursday night was the 'main focus in terms of any aurora visibility', with a graphic indicating that the lights might be strongest at around 10pm on Thursday. However, the forecaster said they could possibly appear between 10pm and 11pm on Friday night too.

Stunning pictures as Northern Lights spotted across Greater Manchester

View gallery

But the chance of seeing them again tonight is much slimmer. The Met Office’s latest space weather forecast said: ‘"The chances of aurora remain initially, though gradually easing through October 11, becoming increasingly confined to far northern geomagnetic latitudes by October 13."

Professor Jim Wild, 49, who captured the Northern Lights from his back garden in Lancaster last night, said seeing the aurora with family was 'really special'. The academic, who researches the aurora and space weather at Lancaster University, told the PA news agency: "My research focuses on the physics of the connections between the sun and the Earth.

""Over the years, I’ve been to the Arctic Circle several times to make measurements of the aurora, but it’s really special to see the northern lights from your back garden with your whole family."

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