A solar storm expected to occur on Friday, February 14th, Valentine’s Day, will lead to the appearance of northern lights in various regions of the Earth. Northern lights or aurora borealis are natural illuminations seen in the sky in polar regions, a result of the interaction between Earth’s magnetic field and charged particles from the Sun. So, in which countries will this celestial spectacle be visible?

A powerful solar storm heading towards Earth could trigger bright northern lights on Valentine’s Day. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported earlier this week that a stream of wind was emanating from a hole in the Sun’s outer layers. It was anticipated that this stream would cause a slight disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field.

WHERE WILL THE NORTHERN LIGHTS BE SEEN?

This means that auroras could illuminate the sky in some areas of Northern Europe and North America on Thursday and Friday.

The Meteorological Office indicated that the chance of seeing auroras there is “significantly higher” due to the relatively clearer skies in the north and west of Scotland.

Northern lights or aurora borealis are generated when charged particles from the Sun are deflected towards the poles by Earth’s magnetic field, interacting with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere.