Met Office: Northern Lights again appear in North East sky

Stargazers across the country have been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, several times already in 2024.

The Northern Lights seen near Darlington (Image: YVONNE ALDERSON)

But on Sunday (August 11) and Monday (August 12), those in the North East caught a glimpse of the amazing sight - as people in Darlington, County Durham, Teesside, North Yorkshire and Northumberland got to see the green and purple sky. 

The northern lights generally appear in high-latitude regions such as the Arctic or Scandinavia. 

Byers Green looking over to Spennymoor and Whitworth, County Durham (Image: JULIE HAZEL)

Their colourful glow is caused by a stream of charged particles that have escaped the sun (known as solar wind) interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field.

The particles hit our atmosphere at high speed and combine with oxygen and nitrogen to create a multicoloured burst. A green glow is associated with oxygen while nitrogen causes the appearance of purple, blue and pink. 

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As part of seeing the Northern Lights, the Met Office has put out some information about when to see the Northern Lights and what conditions are best.

What causes the northern lights?

The northern lights occur as a consequence of solar activity and result from collisions of charged particles in the solar wind colliding with molecules in the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Solar winds are charged particles that stream away from the Sun at speeds of around 1 million miles per hour. When the magnetic polarity of the solar wind is opposite to the Earth's magnetic field, the two magnetic fields combine allowing these energetic particles to flow into the Earth's magnetic north and south poles.

Which weather conditions are best to view the northern lights?

The best conditions to view the lights are when the sky is dark and clear of any clouds. Cloud cover ultimately blocks the view of the light. Ideally, the lights will be best viewed away from any light pollution, in remote areas, facing the northern horizon - north facing coasts produce some of the best viewing locations.

Where can you see the northern lights in the UK?

Predominantly the northern lights are best witnessed in Scotland, North England, North Wales and Northern Ireland. However under severe space weather conditions, the lights can be seen throughout the UK.