A red alert has been issued for the northern lights on Saturday 11 May in the UK

The Northern Lights are set to return tonight after an incredible display in the sky overnight. A large geomagnetic storm in space meant people in the UK got an amazing view of the phenomenon.

And UK-based Aurorawatch issued a “red alert”, saying there was still plenty of activity today, meaning it was likely to return to the UK this evening. In some areas dozens of people gathered to see the lights which appeared around 11.30pm on Friday 10 May.

Of course, many missed the main event which took place after midnight when many were in bed and desperate to see it again. Auroral activity is expected again on Saturday, and while the geomagnetic storm is still expected to be in the “strong” category, early indications are that it may not reach Friday’s extreme.

Weather conditions are again expected to be ideal but it must be dark so you will have to wait until at least 22:30 BST. ITV News meteorologist and weather presenter Chris Page said the northern lights were likely to be visible across Britain and Wales this evening. ITV News meteorologist and weather presenter Chris Page said the northern lights were likely to be visible across Britain and Wales this evening.

“The activity is expected to slow down, however there’s a good chance (clouds permitting) you could see it again tonight,” he said. Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said the conditions that allowed the northern lights to appear on Friday night could be replicated on Saturday, but that the exact locations were still unknown.

“We still need to work out some details about exactly where it will be,” Mr Dixon said. The combination of clear skies and increased activity from the sun reaching Earth would improve the chances of seeing the display, he added.

Chris Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, advised those hoping to see the lights on Saturday to head to an area with low light pollution and use a good camera, adding: “The best chance you have of seeing lights is if they are away from street lights and areas with a lot of light pollution, because any type of light has a big effect.”

“Also, at this time of year, we’re struggling with the shorter nights, so they’re unlikely to be visible until around 10.30pm or 11am, when it really gets dark.”

The best time to see the Northern Lights tends to be between 10pm and 2am. Last night’s sightings reached as far as Ireland, with Irish weather service Met Eireann posting images of the lights in Dublin and at Shannon Airport in Co Clare.

Kathleen Cunnea, from Great Horkesley, Essex, said: “It was absolutely amazing to see.” The visibility of the northern lights was increased on Friday due to an “extreme” geomagnetic storm, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NOAA said the G5 geomagnetic storm, which is considered extreme and is the strongest level of a geomagnetic storm, hit land on Thursday and could affect communications, GPS and power grids. The cause of this storm is a “large and complex” group of sunspots and is 17 times the diameter of the earth, the last G5 storm to hit the earth in October 2003, causing power outages in Sweden.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles. In the Northern Hemisphere, most of this activity takes place in a band known as the auroral oval, which covers latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees.

When the activity is strong, it spreads out to cover a larger area – which explains why displays can occasionally be seen as far south as the UK.