Northern lights could be visible over Northumberland tonight says Met Office

The Northern Lights, also knowns as Aurora Borealis, are a spectacular natural light display in the night sky, caused by massive explosions on the Sun known as coronal mass ejections (CME).

The Met Office has said that Aurora displays could be sparked across the UK this evening following a coronal mass ejection (CME) on May 10.

It said: “A large, fast CME followed the 10 May moderate flare from a region in the northeast. Modelling indicates a potential Earth-directed component with a possible arrival on 13 May.”

Although the Northern Lights are most commonly seen in Scotland, Northumberland’s high northern latitude and certified Dark Sky status makes it one of the best places in England to spot them.

The top spots to catch the Aurora include coastal vantage points such as Bamburgh and inland dark sky parks such as Kielder.