Can you see the northern lights from Scotland ?

[Twodogs]

I remember reading somewhere that if the conditions are right you can see the northern lights from Scotland is that right ?

Can anyone tell me what part of Scotland whould be best and what time of year?
Cheers
Twodogs

 

[Andy T]

When i lived up there i saw a little and i was 2 miles south of john o groats, but to be honest it was only a very little..........if you google northern lights there is a hotel in scotland that says you can see them from there....i'd say the further north the better and you cant get much further north on the british mainland than i was......apart from dunnet head.......hope that helps.

 

[lou1661]

I saw them near Nairn a few years ago, i think that was in October or November.

Louis

 

[DavidJT]

I saw them once from Gothenburg about 10 years ago, not terribly impressive, just s bit like dim searchlights / curtains in the sky to the North. GTB is about on the same level as Aberdeen or Inverness, so it's def possible.

Best place would be as far North as poss, away from city lights, and not during mid summer (of course, although it was late on a dark August night when I saw them), so maybe Shetland?. Best time depends on solar sun spot activity and cycle. You can sign onto an email warning system which will drop you a line when there's a spike in solar activity....

http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/alerts

ah just seen the Bushcraft version, detector from a pop bottle...

http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/detectors/popbottle

 

[Trunks]

About 5 years ago i saw them from here in Haworth - West Yorkshire! Coolest thing ever

 

[DavidJT]

About 5 years ago i saw them from here in Haworth - West Yorkshire! Coolest thing ever

That's got to be a record! Oh hang on, how many had you had?

 

[Trunks]

That's got to be a record! Oh hang on, how many had you had?

LOL, but no

We drove up to the top of the hill and watched the whole show for an hour or so, it was magical

 

[DavidJT]

LOL, but no

We drove up to the top of the hill and watched the whole show for an hour or so, it was magical

Just joshing, sounds amazing!

 

[Wayland]

Northumberland 2005

 

[ScotsSurvival]

I have seen it once near Arbroath about 5 years ago and in Carnoustie about 15 years ago. So it does happen but I would say its best to go as far north as possible.

 

[Ronnie]

Depends on solar activity, a tasty CME aimed right at Earth will produce Borealis in some quite unexpected places. I've seen the lights North from Knoydart a few times, usually on still cold nights with an anticyclone overhead.

 

[Seoras]

Used to see them very occasionally when I was young living on the Isle of lewis.

My father was a part time lighthouse keeper at the Butt of Lewis so we used to help out and the views were amazing some evenings.

A couple of links to the lights from Lewis

The fifth picture down in the table was taken from my village by one of the residents
http://www.spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01oct09.htm

And this BBC news article has a Lewis picture (and many others).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12717751

Cheers and good luck hunting.

George

 

[The Cumbrian]

A friend of a friend took some photographs of the aurora last month from Whitehaven, and my wife's grandad saw it quite a few times whilst working on the cranes at Workington docks.

Apparently, there will be more solar activity over the next few years, so more chance for all of us to see it.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[Toddy]

Even in the overlit heartlands it's possible to see them occasionally

Best views are probably north and east; a bit less cloud and a bit colder there too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Petewhitefang]

Hey folk, I'm hoping to see the Lights from Skye. Anyone seen then from there before?

Pete

 

[redandshane]

Even in the overlit heartlands it's possible to see them occasionally

Best views are probably north and east; a bit less cloud and a bit colder there too.

cheers,
Toddy[/QUOT

Yeah for sure';I am certain there are reports from NE England as well its all about the conditions But obviously no guarantees

 

[Highbinder]

Lived in Wick for 7 years, never saw it once. Plenty of folk who lived out of the town saw it tho!

 

[spandit]

Seen them from Dublin but very faint. When I lived in Canada saw them most nights but never like the Coca Cola adverts - I'd love to see them that bright

 

[Twodogs]

Many thanks for your answers folks loads of food for thought ,,,,hmmmmm

Cheers
Twodogs

 

[John Fenna]

If the conditions are right you can see them quite far south ...
I have even seen them (very pale) in West Wales - OK it was only the once - but it is a lot further south than you would expect!
Actually I did not know what I was looking at until I read about them in the paper !