Brian Cox's powerful Northern Lights message as Aurora could be seen again tonight

Chris Slater
·3-min read
People across the UK were treated to a dazzling display in the skies -Credit:PA
People across the UK were treated to a dazzling display in the skies -Credit:PA


Professor Brian Cox has issued a poignant message about the Northern Lights as stargazers pray for a second glimpse.

Scores of people across Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK were left overjoyed after a huge geomagnetic storm led to a dazzling solar display in the skies.

A Met Office meteorologist said there were sightings of the phenomenon - officially called the Aurora and which many people spend thousands of pounds traveling abroad to try and see - 'from top to tail across the country.'

READ MORE: Northern Lights 'red alert' issued and the best time to see them in Greater Manchester tonight

There are hopes it could be repeated tonight (Saturday) with experts at AuroraWatch UK - run by scientists in the Space and Planetary Physics group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics - have issued a red alert.

They say 'it is likely that aurora will be visible by eye and camera from anywhere in the UK.' Now pop star turned science boffin Prof Cox, from Oldham, has said they a 'rare and direct glimpse of the power of nature' and serve of a reminder of how lucky we are to be here, and of the importance of protecting our planet.

In a post on X, formerly, Twitter, the Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester said: "As you watch the Aurora this evening, it’s worth reflecting that you’re getting a rare direct glimpse of the power of Nature.

"Those charged particles causing the atmosphere to glow came from a sunspot complex 17 times the diameter of Earth and traveled across 90 million miles at a million miles an hour.

"Without our magnetic field to protect us, our atmosphere would have been lost to space long ago. Those colours in the sky are Nature reminding us that we’re very lucky to be here amidst the violence. And perhaps therefore also reminding us not to s***e it all up :-)"

Prof Cox said the lights were a reminder of the wonder of nature and the importance of protecting the planet -Credit:PA
Prof Cox said the lights were a reminder of the wonder of nature and the importance of protecting the planet -Credit:PA

Meteorologist Chris Snell from the Met Office said of tonight's chances of seeing the lights: “It is hard to fully predict what will happen in the Earth’s atmosphere, but there will still be enhanced solar activity tonight, so the lights could be visible again in northern parts of the UK, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and the far north of England.”

He advised those hoping to see the lights on Saturday to head to an area with low light pollution and to use a good camera, adding: “The best chance you have of seeing the lights is if you are away from street lights and areas with lots of light pollution, as any type of light does have a big effect.”

“Also, at this time of year, we are fighting the shorter length of nights, so it is unlikely that they will be visible until around 10.30pm or 11 o’clock when it gets really dark.”

Try MEN Premium now for FREE...just click here to give it a go

Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • Anglers catching this peculiar fish are urged to ‘kill it on sight’

    A fisherman in Missouri caught what he thought was an odd fish that refused to die, even when left on the pavement for several hours.

  • The viral frontier: Nasa told ‘act now’ to tackle pathogens in space

    In a quiet pocket of rural Arizona, hundreds of people die after suffering near-instantaneous blood clots. Some perish mid-stride, while others go “quietly nuts” before killing themselves, often bizarrely.

  • Watch live: Boeing Starliner launches 1st crewed space mission with NASA astronauts

    Today's launch is significant because it could open doors for more private airline companies to collaborate with NASA.

  • Anglers encounter rare oarfish under attack by sharks off Cabo

    The Cabo San Lucas anglers were fishing for marlin when they spotted a deep-sea oarfish at the surface, being circled by sharks.

  • Boeing spacecraft carrying two astronauts lifts off on historic voyage

    Boeing’s Starliner launched a historic maiden voyage carrying veteran NASA astronauts Sunni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the International Space Station.

  • UK to become 'nationwide Love Island' as 34C heatwave rolls in - and three areas are the hottest

    Weather experts have predicted a scorching 30C European heatwave in the UK as the Met Office issues its long-range weather forecast, with the hot temperatures just weeks away

  • Donald Trump's 'Nonsensical' Jab At Rising Sea Levels Is Hit By Wave Of Mockery

    The former president's denial of climate change hit a new low in an interview with Fox News.

  • World’s biggest solar farm goes online, big enough to power a country

    5GW facility is roughly the same area as New York City

  • Carbon detected in galaxy observed 350m years after big bang

    Exclusive: ‘Massive’ discovery raises possibility conditions for life were present almost from dawn of time

  • When is the next UK heatwave going to be?

    There have been reports the UK is to be hit with a heatwave later in June, but the Met Office forecast paints a different picture.

  • Watch again as Boeing launches humans into space for first time

    Watch again as Boeing launched its first-ever crew of humans into space using its long-delayed and over-budget Starliner spacecraft that has been in development under a multibillion-dollar Nasa contract. Wednesday’s mission, a final test before Starliner can fly six more missions, was a critical moment for Boeing, whose commercial aeroplane unit and space unit alike have suffered successive crises in recent years. The gumdrop-shaped CST-100 Starliner capsule, with two Nasa astronauts aboard, was due for liftoff at 10:52am ET (2:52pm GMT) from a launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

  • Nature reborn a year after Ukraine dam blast

    Standing in a park that had been submerged in water last June after Ukraine's Kakhovka dam was blown up, scientist Oleksandr Khodosovtsev was dwarfed by resurgent plant life.Downstream from the destroyed dam, plant life is now "lush", he said -- thanks to the influx of water and organic matter. 

  • Four photos that show the potential of rewilding nature

    Rewilding is about finding ways to let nature thrive and regenerate. Around the world, cities and community projects are doing just that.

  • Stranded window cleaners dangle from Beijing skyscraper amid storm winds

    A window-cleaning job in Beijing, China, quickly turned into a nightmare for a group of workers after strong winds left them dangling hundreds of feet in the air on May 30. Horror footage captured the terrified window cleaners clinging to their harnesses for dear life as they dangled from the China Central Television (CCTV) Headquarters building during the stormy weather.

  • The end of the great northern forests? The tiny tree-killing beetle wreaking havoc on our ancient giants

    Forests across Europe, the US and Canada have been hard hit by drought, fires and bark beetles. Now scientists fear the northern hemisphere’s greatest carbon sink is nearing a tipping point

  • Shark attack victim punched it in the face, witness says

    A man survived a shark attack by punching it in the face before being rescued by other swimmers at a popular California beach, a witness has said. The 46-year-old was in the water with a group at Del Mar City Beach near San Diego when he was bitten on the torso, left arm and hand about 90m from shore. One of the swimmers, Jenna Veal, was behind the victim during the attack and told Sky's US partner network NBC News she heard him scream for help.

  • Reality check: the Reform UK party’s claims on the climate crisis examined

    Richard Tice made some eye-opening statements on the climate, and the manifesto is packed with even more falsehoods

  • Cute Mexican Wolf Pups Bring New Hope For Endangered Species

    These adorable little fellows are among the nine Mexican wolf pups born at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo in April. Seven of the cute critters - who will grow up to be rather more fearsome - were successfully placed into wild dens in New Mexico in May as part of the Mexican Wolf Recovery Programme aimed at bolstering the subspecies' population in the southwestern United States and Mexico. At just 10 days old, the pups - six males and one female - were carefully transported to New Mexico. During their journey, two animal care specialists and a veterinary technician from Brookfield Zoo ensured the pups were well-fed and kept warm. Upon arrival in New Mexico, members of the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team covered the pups with the scent of similarly aged wild pups to integrate them seamlessly into their new dens. Each pup was swabbed for DNA and given a studbook number before being placed back in the den. Biologists monitored the radio-collared mothers to ensure they accepted the zoo-born pups. This fostering process, which improves the genetic diversity of the wild population, marked a milestone this year with the 100th pup placed in the wild since fostering began in 2014. Two additional female pups from the same litter remain at Brookfield Zoo. The Mexican wolf, the rarest and most genetically distinct subspecies of grey wolf in North America, once numbered around 4,000 across central and northern Mexico and the southwestern U.S.

  • Five dead as southern Germany struggles with far-reaching floods

    German rescuers handed out food by boat to stranded residents on Tuesday as large parts of southern Germany remained underwater after floods that have now claimed five lives.Three people were found dead in their basements following the floods, while one rescuer was thrown overboard when his boat capsized and died.

  • Marjorie Taylor Greene Gave A Bizarre Animal Testing Rant Against Fauci. Here’s The Truth.

    The congresswoman’s attempt to blame Dr. Anthony Fauci for animal testing in Africa may have been off-base, but activists say it still hits close to home.