The Northern Lights are set to be visible across large parts of the UK overnight as a huge solar storm is going to hit Earth.

America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reportedly issued its first severe solar storm warning since 2005 yesterday as a huge geomagnetic storm races towards Earth - meaning it could be the most powerful experienced in almost two decades.

It’s set to hit overnight, and could supercharge the Northern Lights, making them visible in Scotland, northern England and Wales and even further south if conditions are right.

But the impressive Aurora Borealis could also potentially interfere with infrastructure, including the power grid and satellites when it hits.

  • twinnie
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    1 month ago

    Just to manage expectations, the northern lights don’t look nearly as good in real life. They look like night clouds.

    • apis@beehaw.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 month ago

      Mmmmmrrrm. Idk, saw them as a child & though I had not heard of them at the time & therefore had no expectations, not even the most dramatic, high-tech camera footage has come close to those moments.

    • Ryan
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 month ago

      na not last night. that was fucking incredible!

      • Flax
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 month ago

        Kinda like well defined clouds with a shape to them and emit light