Aurora in UK skies
With the Sun in a more active phase of its solar cycle there’s hope for more displays
When: First quarter of 2022 Equipment to use: Can be seen with the naked eye, but a DSLR camera and wide-angle lens is recommend
The Aurora Borealis is best viewed from polar locations such as Greenland and Northern Scandinavia. This is because Earth’s magnetic field draws electrons from solar winds towards the poles to form the Auroral Oval at high northern latitudes. Occasionally, it can be seen from northern parts of the UK. But, due to the increasing solar activity, we may see the aurora creeping further south this year.
Indeed, 2021 finished on a high for aurora hunters in the UK, as a substantial X1-class solar flare in October allowed astronomers in Norfolk and Wales to catch a glimpse. Auroral activity usually peaks around the spring equinox, plus we’re seeing further activity due to the Sun’s current position in the solar cycle.
Why is this? Well, the aurora is driven by the Sun; the more ‘active’ it is in terms of sunspots and solar flares, the greater the likelihood of a visible display. This is because sunspots eject the solar energy that causes aurora; the more sunspots observed, the more intense the flare activity.
The Sun goes through ‘cycles’ of activity, each one lasting about 11 years, during which we experience peaks and troughs; the last peak occurred in 2014. The current cycle, Solar Cycle 25, began in December 2019 and is expected to peak in 2025.
Get prepared
Observing the aurora is both a matter of timing and luck; a solar flare needs to hit at the right time and intensity for us to see it. Events are difficult to predict beyond a few hours, so check monitoring websites at the earliest mention of solar activity. Key ones to follow include AuroraWatch UK on Facebook and www.aurora-service.eu.
To stand the best chance of seeing a display, head for a location with a clear northern horizon. It should be as free from light pollution as possible, because the aurora is usually quite faint in the UK. Coastlines can provide a good clear northern view and remember, displays will be closer to the horizon the further south you are. The aurora ‘in real-life’ looks different to how they’re portrayed in images. From Britain, displays don’t appear as vibrant dancing ribbons. Instead, they appear as spikes or pillars, and will be a subdued green colour. Really strong displays will show red elements higher up.
You can pick up further details by imaging the aurora. Any camera (or smartphone) that has a ‘manual’ mode can be used, so that you can alter the light sensitivity and exposure settings. Because aurora displays move, limit long exposure times to avoid fuzzy images – 10 seconds is a good start.