The northern lights, a natural light display usually only visible in northern latitudes, have been seen in the UK, and as far south as Alabama and other southern states in the US in recent weeks due to solar activity.
This celestial event may become more frequent in the coming months, which will give sky gazers a chance to witness this phenomenon tonight and throughout the rest of the week. Northern lights occur when charged particles from the sun interact with the Earth's magnetic field, creating spectacular streaks of light.
Northern Lights in the UK and the US
The phenomenon is caused by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun's outermost layer hitting the Earth's magnetosphere. The Met Office announced that aurora is likely to be visible over Scotland as well as the north of England and Northern Ireland, and there is a slight chance it could move south to allow views from North Wales and the Midlands.
The CME was launched from the Sun's atmosphere on Sunday and is expected to cause auroras across the northern hemisphere, MailOnline reported. The Met Office has suggested that the aurora may also be visible on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
It has provided an animation showing the auroral oval, which determines the range of the Northern Lights visible, and warns that while the CME is not harmful to humans it can have an impact on electronic systems and satellite technology.
Meanwhile, KUTV reported that Utah may also experience a return of the northern lights on Sunday night, two weeks after the colorful display was last seen in the state's northern skies. Meteorologist Chase Thomason tweeted that an aurora may become visible in northern Utah and the best viewing hour will be between 9 p.m. and midnight.
Furthermore, KRON4 reported that Alabama and other southern states may have a similar chance of seeing the stunning light show. Just last month, a severe geomagnetic storm erupted into a CME and minor solar flare that also created an aurora on Earth.
People in Northern Canada and Russia, Greenland, Iceland, and some parts of Scandinavia are usually the only ones who can see Northern Lights regularly. In other parts of the world, auroras are often observed after sunset or before sunrise, which are not that visible during daylight. That is why many people travel to the Arctic regions to observe this light show.
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Expect More Northern Lights Now Due to the Solar Cycle
The occurrence of auroras in areas farther south has increased in the past few months in the northern hemisphere. In February, they were visible in southern England and Ireland, The New York Times reported.
In March, auroras could be seen as far south as North Carolina and New York; and in April, they were spotted in Arizona, central California, southern Ontario, and England. This is due to the current solar cycle, which started in 2019 and is expected to reach its maximum in 2025. During the maximum phase, the auroral oval, or the area on Earth where the lights are visible, will widen.
Dr. Taylor Cameron, a scientist studying the Sun's magnetic field, explains that the solar cycle consists of phases between solar minimum and solar maximum. During the minimum phase, the sun is relatively quiet; while during the maximum phase, it becomes more active with solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
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