Usually, a phenomenon reserved for people visiting Iceland, Brits have been lucky enough to see the lights numerous times throughout 2024.
Back in May, social media was flooded with spectacular images, thanks to an ‘extreme geomagnetic storm’ which resulted in the lights becoming more visible.
Meanwhile, another event in October provided further visibility across the UK.
The reason why is pretty simple, and it’s all to do with something called the ‘solar cycle’.
The solar cycle lasts for 11 years and consists of a ‘solar minimum’ – in which we see the fewest number of sunspots on the Sun’s surface – and the ‘solar maximum’, which is when we see the highest number of sunspots.
It is a period of time in which the Sun is at its most volatile, sending out huge solar flares into space. When the conditions and timings line up, many of these flares can be flung towards Earth itself.
At the maximum point, the potential to see aurora increases, with the areas in which the lights are visible widening, too.
The Northern Lights back in October (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
“We’re now in the solar maximum phase, which means there’s more frequent sunspots and solar activity in general,” the Met Office’s Krista Hammond said.
“While it’s not possible to know precisely what this means for individual Earth-directed solar events, it does mean there will likely be further chances of aurora visibility in the UK in the coming months.
“While we’re in the solar maximum phase now, which could last a year, it’s not possible to know exactly when the number of sunspots peaked until some time after it has happened.”
There’s been a number of opportunities to see the lights this year (Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
After the peak, activity will begin to reduce during the transition to solar minimum, with Hammond adding: “While the total number of sunspots will start to reduce after solar maximum, we will continue to see space weather throughout the solar cycle, even as overall activity declines.
“Indeed, in some solar cycles, the larger events can happen as the Sun transitions back towards solar minimum.”
It’s generally agreed that the maximum will be reached at some point next year.
