(Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Residents across the north of England have a chance of spotting the Northern Lights across the skies this evening, and here are some great places to spot them.
The Met Office says there will be "glancing coronal mass ejections" this week, meaning the Aurora Borealis may be visible.
It is reported that the spectacle will be visible across Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland.
If you want to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, here is everything you need to know, and 3 great places to spot them.
Northern Lights set to be visible in the north of the country this week
The Space Weather forecast from the Met Office reads: "Glancing coronal mass ejections followed by the onset of a coronal hole fast wind brings a daily chance of enhancing the auroral oval.
"Sightings possible across Scotland, perhaps Northern England and Northern Ireland and similar latitudes where skies are clear between October 12 and 15."
The rare and vibrant glow, known as the Aurora Borealis, has been visible across the country in recent days.
This "incredible occurrence" can occasionally be spotted in the sky over Britain, with sightings over recent years becoming more frequent.
The phenomenon is caused by charged particles from coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on the Sun, which interact with the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere.
When these particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, they emit photons of coloured light, creating the aurora effect.
Visibility depends on the strength of the geomagnetic activity.
According to the Met Office, cloud cover will be heavier in the next few days, however there is a break in clouds on Tuesday evening.
3 great places in North Yorkshire to see the Northern Lights
Here are 3 great places in Yorkshire you can go to if you want to try and spot the Aurora:
Danby and the North York Moors Dark Sky Reserve
The North York Moors became an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2020 because of its exceptionally low levels of light pollution.
The park authority says the darkest parts of the moors can reveal up to 2,000 stars on a clear night, making it one of the best places in England for night-sky viewing.
Danby sits deep within the reserve and has dedicated dark-sky facilities, while the surrounding moorland provides vast open vistas away from town lights.
North Yorkshire has some of the best stargazing spots in the country (Image: Chris Baitson/Getty Images)
Sutton Bank, near Thirsk
Sutton Bank sits on the western edge of the North York Moors and offers spectacular elevated views across the Vale of York.
The high ground gives observers an unobstructed northern horizon, which is exactly what you want when the aurora is low in the sky.
It is also one of North Yorkshire's recognised Dark Sky Discovery locations.
Blakey Ridge, North York Moors
Blakey Ridge is one of the highest and most remote points in the North York Moors.
The area has very little artificial lighting and is specifically listed as an Aurora Viewpoint by stargazing organisations.
Its exposed position provides outstanding views towards the northern horizon, and local photographers frequently head here when geomagnetic forecasts suggest a chance of aurora activity.
What causes the Northern Lights?
The Royal Museums Greenwich explained: “Solar storms on our star's surface give out huge clouds of electrically charged particles. These particles can travel millions of miles, and some may eventually collide with the Earth.
“Most of these particles are deflected away, but some become captured in the Earth’s magnetic field, accelerating down towards the north and south poles into the atmosphere. This is why aurora activity is concentrated at the magnetic poles.”
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Royal Observatory astronomer Tom Kerss added: “These particles then slam into atoms and molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere and essentially heat them up.
“We call this physical process ‘excitation’, but it’s very much like heating a gas and making it glow.”
Have you taken any pictures of the Northern Lights in the UK before? Let us know in the comments.