In a very rare situation, the Northern Lights will be visible across much of the UK today (February 27), with Worcester potentially catching a glimpse.
It comes as Aurora Watch UK issued an amber alert, detailing that sightings are likely this evening.
Usually, Scotland is the only part of the UK that is lucky enough to see the wonders of the world, however tonight, even areas of south England, including London will be able to see the display.
The Met Office confirmed on late Sunday evening that "A coronal hole high-speed stream" would be combined with a "fast coronal mass ejection" allowing the Lights to be seen across the UK.
👀 Strong solar activity means another chance to see the #NorthernLights tonight
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 27, 2023
Northern Scotland is favoured to see the #Aurora overhead, but sightings closer to the horizon are possible as far south as southern Britain - *if* you have clear skies
Check out the forecast 👇 pic.twitter.com/2mMceWhrVt
How to see the Northern Lights in Worcester tonight
The Met Office has forecast cloud in Worcester for this evening but it’s worth keeping an eye out for the Aurora Borealis in the sky.
It said the lights may be visible but cloudy skies may limit those who get a second chance to see them.
If you want to grab a glimpse at the Aurora Borealis you'll need to be in a dark open space high off the ground such as a hill.
Met Office forecast for Worcester tonight
The Met Office has forecast an overcast evening tonight with a 10% chance of precipitation for most of the evening.
Temperatures are expected to be around 5-7C so if you head outside, make sure to wrap up warm.
You can see the full weather forecast here.
The head of space weather at the Met Office, Mark Gibbs, said: “The aurora will continue tonight but with cloudy skies across much of the UK, it may be too optimistic to expect clear sightings two nights in a row.
“Last night’s sighting saw the coincidence of perfect conditions, making the aurora visible on the north horizon in the south of England.
“If you have a clear sky tonight, head outside around midnight and have a look, but it is most likely to be visible from the west coast of Scotland.”
Mr Gibbs said that Sunday night saw the combination of a cloud-free sky, clear air, and a dim moon, which allowed members of the public to see over long distances with little light pollution and spot the Northern Lights.
What caused the Northern Lights in the sky on Sunday?
The bright display in the sky last night was the result of a solar storm which Mr Gibbs added was not unusual for this point in the solar cycle.
“What we saw yesterday was a bubble of magnetised plasma particles that had come off the sun, and they happened to be heading towards the Earth in this instance,” he said.
“It took about two days for those particles to arrive from the sun, then the particles enter the Earth’s upper atmosphere and excite atoms.
“The most common sight is green, which is the result of oxygen atoms being excited. Last night we saw some reds and purples, indicative of nitrogen atoms being excited.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here