The best time to watch the Northern Lights this weekend as they could be visible across the UK

The aurora borealis could be visible across Britain this evening due to a severe geomagnetic storm, providing a rare treat for stargazers.

Experts have issued warnings of possible disruptions to power grids, mobile phone networks and GPS satellites from Friday’s storm. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has suggested that this “unusual event” could occur, marking the first such incident to hit Europe in almost two decades.

On Thursday, NOAA issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch, last announced in January 2005, when Earth was hit with the most radiation it has seen in 50 years. This warning follows a series of solar flares that occurred on Wednesday, with multiple ejections of plasma from the sun.

However, it does mean there is a chance to witness a spectacular aurora – dancing ribbons of light that captivate viewers on Earth. With clear skies forecast today, everyone in the UK could get a chance to see this natural spectacle.

Mathew Owens, a professor of space physics at Reading University, has advised Britons on the exact time they should be looking at the sky tonight, the Manchester Evening News reports.

He explained: “Over the past 48 hours, we have seen a series of eruptions – known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – from the Sun and they appear to be heading straight for us. Our forecast shows six or seven of these eruptions. the accumulation on the way from the Sun to the Earth is a mess right now.”

“Predicting CME arrival time is very difficult, but our best estimate is around 2am (BST, Saturday 11 May) this evening. If you go to bed late or wake up before sunrise, it’s worth looking north as you may see the Northern Lights. A strong aurora is likely for Scotland and northern England (and the weather seems to be cooperating for optimal viewing, it may extend further south, but until we get those magnetic field measurements when the CMEs arrive, it’s hard to tell).

“What’s really difficult is forecasting the likely effects of these eruptions and the impact they might have on communications and power on Earth. That’s because it all depends on the strength and direction of the magnetic field inside the CMEs, and we have virtually no information about that until the CMEs pass close-to-Earth spacecraft.

“The magnitude of this activity is rare but not particularly unusual for the peak phase of the Sun’s 11-year cycle. Earth just so happens to be in the firing line this time.”

The Northern Lights, usually a spectacle reserved for those in arctic latitudes and Scandinavian countries, could even be visible in Cornwall thanks to favorable weather conditions.

BBC Weather’s Simon King highlighted an increased chance of witnessing this natural phenomenon on Friday and Saturday night. “There has been a lot of activity on the Sun which means charged particles are heading towards Earth (and the aurora) could be visible across the UK tonight and into Saturday night,” he explained.

King also noted that despite the fact that our days are now longer, resulting in a “shorter amount of dark sky”, when it gets dark, the sky will be “clear”. He added: “The geomagnetic storm headed our way will be one of the strongest for a long time, hence the significantly enhanced auroral activity.”

Echoing King’s sentiments, Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said: “Although the shorter nights will limit the visibility window, there is a good chance of seeing the aurora, particularly on Friday evening and particularly in Scotland, Ireland and parts of from northern England and Wales. There might even be visibility further south if you have the right gear. These conditions could continue on Saturday night, but we still need to work out some details on the exact venue.