Northern Lights dazzle in sky above Edinburgh on Sunday – and could appear on Monday night

The aurora borealis were visible across parts of Scotland last night – and they could be seen again tonight
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Sky-gazers in Edinburgh, and across the rest of Scotland, were treated to the spectacular sight of the Northern Lights last night (Sunday, February 26).

And the good news is that the phenomenon is expected to return tonight.

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The Northern Lights – or the Aurora Borealis – are created by disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere caused by a flow of particles from the Sun, and are usually concentrated around the Earth’s magnetic poles.

The aurora borealis were visible across parts of Scotland last night – and they could be seen again tonight. Photos: Evelyn S and Lisa Ferguson.The aurora borealis were visible across parts of Scotland last night – and they could be seen again tonight. Photos: Evelyn S and Lisa Ferguson.
The aurora borealis were visible across parts of Scotland last night – and they could be seen again tonight. Photos: Evelyn S and Lisa Ferguson.

In recent years, locals have spotted the dazzling array of colour in skies above Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Those wanting to view the phenomenon this evening may want to head out of the city, as light pollution can ruin the view.

Remote areas facing the northern horizon are typically the best spots for spotting the aurora borealis, while ideal conditions are when the sky is dark and clear of any clouds.

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The Met Office tweeted a series of pictures taken by members of the public which captured the light phenomenon in North Uist in Scotland, North Wales, Cambridgeshire and Shropshire.

The national weather service tweeted: “A coronal hole high speed stream arrived this evening combined with a rather fast coronal mass ejection leading to #Aurora sightings across the UK.”

In a separate tweet, it encouraged users to upload pictures of any other sightings using the hashtag #LoveUKWeather.

The Met Office also said there is a chance of seeing the northern lights again on Monday night.

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