The Northern Lights have dazzled the nation this year, with dazzling light shows seen as far south as Dorset, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Berkshire.
The number of exhibits is increasing, allowing more people in the country to appreciate the spectacular sight.
That means aurora sightings have increased in recent years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, and the explanation is well known in the scientific community.
Christa Hammond, manager of the Japan Meteorological Agency's Space Weather Operations Center (MOSWOC), said: “The sun's activity, and in particular the number of visible sunspots, changes over an approximately 11-year period known as a solar cycle.” .
The last solar minimum, when the sun had the least frequency of visible sunspots during the solar cycle, occurred in December 2019.
This means that solar activity is currently increasing and the next solar maximum is expected to occur around 2025.
As a result, more of the Sun's charged particles move toward Earth and get caught up in Earth's magnetic field, creating more auroral effects.
Christa added: “Over the next few years, as we move towards solar maximum, we can expect the frequency of space weather events to increase and the chances of seeing the Northern Lights over the UK to increase.”
What causes aurora borealis?
The Royal Museums Greenwich explains: “Solar storms on the surface of our star emit huge clouds of charged particles. These particles can travel millions of miles, and some may end up colliding with Earth. There is a gender.
“Most of these particles are pushed away, but some are captured by Earth's magnetic field and accelerate toward the north and south poles and into the atmosphere. This is why auroral activity is concentrated at the magnetic poles. is.”
“These particles collide with atoms and molecules in Earth's atmosphere, essentially heating them up,” said Tom Kurth, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory.
“We call this physical process 'excitation,' and it's very similar to heating a gas to make it glow.”
Can you see the Northern Lights in the UK?
Royal Museums Greenwich says, “Aurora borealis can be seen in the northern hemisphere, whereas aurora australis can be seen in the southern hemisphere.
“The best places to see the Northern Lights are concentrated around the polar regions, but they can also be seen in the UK.
“The further north you go, the more likely you are to see this display, but increased solar activity means the aurora can now be seen as far south as Cornwall and Brighton.
“However, conditions do need to be right. Dark, clear nights, preferably with little light pollution, offer the best chance of seeing the aurora borealis.”
