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The unusual sighting of the northern lights throughout the country has to rank among the most peculiar events of the year.
When they materialised out of nowhere over the UK earlier this year, we were all somewhat confused. Following that, it seemed to persist for a small number of lucky people.
The Met Office has confirmed that, as has been the case in the past, the northern lights will be seen once every ten years.
They would be better off starting to pay rent immediately.
Because the Sun’s magnetic field will be inverted in 2025, observers may expect to see the aurora borealis more often and at a southern latitude than usual.
As we approach the end of the’solar maximum’ phase, the Sun’s magnetic field changes around once every eleven years.
The northern lights, a phenomenon that only occurs during the summer, are really solar flares caused by the sun’s very active magnetic field.
Space weather is now in its peak phase, with increased solar activity and sunspot frequency, according to Krista Hammond, manager of the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC). Although we don’t yet know what this means for Earth-specific solar events, it does indicate that aurora borealis sightings in the UK will become more likely in the coming months.
“Although we are currently experiencing the solar maximum phase, which may extend for a year, pinpointing the precise peak number of sunspots will require some time after the event has occurred.”
Because of this whole “maximum phase” thing, space weather events like the worst geomagnetic storm on Earth in twenty years might happen at any moment, like in the spring.
An earlier, lesser event was responsible for the auroras being seen as far south as parts of central and southern England and Wales, according to the Met Office.
Scientists predict that the solar maximum will be reached next year, increasing the area that might be visible to the northern lights.
After this period finishes, the surface acitivity of the Sun will decrease as solar minimum approaches in the following years.
There will be space weather every solar cycle, even if the total number of sunspots starts to decline after solar maximum. According to what Hammond said, the major events may have place during certain solar cycles when the Sun reaches solar minimum.
“At MOSWOC, we are tasked with anticipating these events over the next months and years in order to mitigate the possibility of any interference with satellite operations or certain ground-based infrastructure.”
