Manchester skies could be painted green tonight (July 20) due to a spectacular display of the Northern Lights, even though it’s the middle of summer. What is more, those who are keen for an evening stroll or a night hike can adventure outside into the low-light parts of Greater Manchester. And if lucky, maybe they will be able to witness the Northern Lights tonight, as the chances are “moderate” for parts of Northern England.
The Met Office said: “There remains a chance of a glance from one, possibly two CMEs and Minor or Moderate storm intervals and possible aurora sightings across Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England.”
“Chances of this occurring in the current UTC day are now reduced, and the CME thought to be responsible may have passed Earth to no effect, Viewing opportunities are expected to be limited due to short hours of darkness at this time of year. There is then a trend for reduced geomagnetic activity through the remainder of the period with the auroral oval returning to background levels.”
Where to watch the Northern Lights in Manchester
Now, we must stress, that for much of Manchester the sky will look just the same as it normally does. It’s incredibly rare for the Northern Lights to be visible in the city, but the Met Office has said there is a CHANCE (*insert Jim Carrey GIF here*).
Any Mancs hoping to see the geomagnetic storm will need to find somewhere with minimal light pollution and clear view of the northern horizon. So perhaps head to your nearest hill.
A good place to start aurora hunting would be away from light pollution and facing the northern hemisphere. However, as the nights are way shorter now, the chances are, understandably smaller to witness aurora borealis during summertime.
It is advised that aurora hunters steer away from the city lights for the best chances of seeing the majestic space phenomena. So the chance is slim unlike parts of Scotland, but we might just get a glimpse of the Northern Lights from Manchester tonight.
The sun is not due to set until 9.24pm tonight, according to The Met Office. The night sky is expected to be clear in Northern England from 10pm, with some cloud crawling in from 11pm.