WHERE TO GO

Where is the best place to see the plankton?

It is impossible to predict where the plankton will be on a given night, so people are discouraged from making long journeys to see the plankton at a specific location. However, Thomas Winstone recommended people go to their local coastline to see if they could spot it. Patience is recommended.

What time is best to see it?

The best time to see the plankton is when it is dark. The plankton are usually spotted during astronomical twilight, which is between 11pm and 3:30am in the UK for June and July. However, Thomas said he had spotted the plankton as early as 10.20pm previously.

How long will it be around for?

It is difficult to tell. The plankton are often spotted in the summer months; however, the phenomenon has been spotted until as late as October and November.

What are the best conditions to spot the plankton?

While there is no concrete answer for this, the plankton appear to favour warm sea temperatures and clear, sunny days. However, the bioluminescence has also been spotted in heavy rain and thick fog.

What to look for...

The plankton will appear as a faint glow, but can appear stronger on some nights where the blue neon glow can be seen from as far as 100-200m away as the waves break or as you agitate the water by splashing or throwing in a pebble. It is recommended you turn off your torch in order to better see it once you have reached a safe place to do so.