Key Takeaways
- The CME from the May 16 M1.9 solar flare arrived around 0:00 UTC on 19 May — geomagnetic storming is now underway
- G1 (Kp 5) conditions are in effect; G2 (Kp 6) is still possible as the storm evolves through tonight
- Scotland has a strong chance of visible aurora tonight (19 May) — northern England is also in range at G1
- Best viewing window: tonight Tuesday 19 May from 22:00 BST — check real-time trackers for live Kp updates
- Conditions may linger into early Wednesday morning — keep watching even after midnight
📑 Table of Contents
It's happening — the CME is here. The coronal mass ejection launched by an M1.9 solar flare on 16 May arrived at Earth around 0:00 UTC on Tuesday 19 May, and geomagnetic storming is now underway. A G1 (minor) storm is currently active, with forecasters maintaining a chance of G2 (moderate) conditions tonight as the storm develops through the evening. Scotland and northern England are in the frame for aurora tonight — if you've been waiting for a clear night this week, tonight (Tuesday 19 May) is your best opportunity.
What Caused This Alert?
This is a two-part May event that has kept UK aurora watchers busy all week — and the second, bigger chapter is now underway. It began last week when a large, transequatorial coronal hole unleashed a fast solar wind stream that triggered a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm on Thursday 15 May, pushing the Northern Lights across Scotland and northern England. G1 activity continued through Friday and Saturday nights as Earth moved through the body of that stream.
Then the Sun added a second chapter: an M1.9-class solar flare on 16 May launched a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a billion-tonne cloud of magnetised plasma — on a direct course for Earth. A CME is a fundamentally different beast from a coronal hole stream: rather than a steady wind, it is a discrete magnetic shockwave that hits Earth's magnetosphere in one concentrated impact. This CME arrived at Earth around 0:00 UTC on Tuesday 19 May — today — as a glancing blow, arriving on top of the still-unsettled solar wind from last week's storm. Geomagnetic storming has now begun, with G1 (minor) conditions active and G2 (moderate) still possible tonight.
A "glancing blow" means the CME struck Earth off-centre — the bulk of the material passed slightly north of the Sun-Earth line, which typically means a shorter, sharper storm rather than a sustained multi-day event. But the CME has still made clear impact: geomagnetic storming has started, and conditions could ramp up further tonight if the Bz component — the crucial measure of the CME's magnetic orientation — swings and holds southward. Real-time Bz readings are the single most important number to watch this evening.
When Could the Northern Lights Be Visible?
The CME arrived around 0:00 UTC on Tuesday 19 May, and storming is already underway. Geomagnetic activity is expected to be most intense during the evening and overnight hours UK-time. The best aurora viewing window is tonight, Tuesday 19 May, from around 22:00 BST — activity could linger into the early hours of Wednesday morning, so don't give up if it's quiet at 10 pm.
Because this is a glancing CME, the storm evolution is less predictable than a head-on hit. Conditions can swing from quiet to active within minutes depending on the Bz component. Keep checking real-time trackers through the evening rather than assuming conditions will stay constant — an aurora event that looks quiet at 22:00 can burst into life at midnight.
If you were clouded out during last Thursday's G2 storm, this is a genuine second chance. With G1–G2 now in effect, you won't need to be in the far Highlands — any dark-sky location in Scotland, or the very north of England, could be productive tonight.
Track the real-time Bz and Kp via AuroraWatch UK — they send immediate alerts the moment conditions are elevated enough to see aurora from UK latitudes. Their system is free and responds within minutes of a change in conditions.
Where in the UK Can You See Them?
Aurora visibility depends on your latitude and the storm intensity. With G1 (Kp 5) now active and G2 (Kp 6) possible tonight, the aurora oval is pushing meaningfully south — here is a realistic guide for UK locations for the night of 19–20 May:
Scotland — Strong chance tonight. With G1 conditions already active, Scotland is well inside the aurora oval. The Highlands, Cairngorms, Orkney, and Shetland are your best bets — but city-dwellers in Edinburgh, Inverness, or Aberdeen should scan the northern sky after 22:00. A bright arc or rays low on the horizon are well within reach right now, and if Kp climbs to 6 (G2), aurora could be visible from almost all of Scotland.
Northern England and Northern Ireland — Realistic tonight. Northumberland, the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and the north coast of Northern Ireland are all in range under current G1 conditions. If you're in these areas and skies are clear tonight, it is genuinely worth heading somewhere dark and watching the north. During last Thursday's G2 event, aurora was visible from these locations — the same is possible again and is already in reach.
Wales, the Midlands, and southern England — Only if G2 develops. As the storm continues to evolve, G2 conditions later tonight could push the oval further south. If AuroraWatch UK goes to Amber or Red alert status, step outside wherever you are in the UK — but don't make a special journey from southern England unless the alert level rises.
How to See the Northern Lights Tonight
You do not need any equipment — but a few simple steps will make the difference between seeing a display and missing it entirely.
- Get dark. Even a modest aurora is washed out by nearby town glow. Use lightpollutionmap.info to find a dark patch near you, and get at least a mile from street lights.
- Face north. Under minor storm conditions, the aurora usually sits low on the northern horizon. Don't look straight up — scan the horizon from north-northwest to north-northeast.
- Give your eyes 20 minutes. Every time you look at your phone screen you reset your dark adaptation. Put it face-down and let your eyes adjust properly before deciding there's nothing to see.
- Use your phone camera. Modern smartphones — especially in Night Mode or Pro mode — are extraordinarily good at detecting aurora. Point your camera north, hold it steady, and take a shot even if you can't see anything obvious. The camera may surprise you.
- Be patient and keep checking. Aurora activity switches on and off over minutes. If nothing is visible at 22:00, try again at midnight and 01:00.
Why 2026 Is One of the Best Years Ever for Aurora in the UK
This alert is not a one-off — it is part of a remarkable window for UK aurora watchers. We are currently at or very near the peak of Solar Cycle 25, known as Solar Maximum.
The Sun goes through an 11-year cycle of rising and falling activity, measured by sunspot count. At Solar Maximum, activity is at its highest: more sunspots form, more flares erupt, and CMEs are launched far more frequently. That translates directly into more aurora events that are powerful enough to reach UK latitudes.
Over the past two years, the Northern Lights have been photographed from Cornwall, Kent, the Channel Islands, and even central London during the most powerful storms. While those southern sightings required G4 or G5 conditions — much stronger than tonight's forecast — the increased frequency of storms means that opportunities like tonight's are happening several times a year rather than once a decade.
Solar Maximum is expected to tail off through 2027, so 2026 is genuinely your last chance to catch this elevated activity while it lasts. If you have always wanted to see the Northern Lights without flying to Norway, keep a close eye on the space weather forecasts throughout this year.
How to Stay Updated Tonight
The storm is now active — conditions are changing in real time. The best places to track this event tonight:
- AuroraWatch UK (Lancaster University) — free email and app alerts. Set it now and you will get pinged the moment conditions are elevated enough to see aurora from your latitude.
- Met Office Space Weather — the official UK forecast service, updated several times daily during active events.
- SpaceWeatherLive — real-time Kp index, aurora oval maps, and solar activity tracker. Their app lets you set a Kp threshold notification.
- SpaceWeather.com — daily solar activity bulletins and ongoing aurora alerts.
Good luck out there — and if you manage to capture something, share it with @watchthestarsuk on Instagram. We would love to see your shots. Clear skies! 🔭
📡 Live Updates: This post is updated whenever a new aurora event is forecast for the UK. Bookmark it and check back — we refresh it rather than writing a new article each time, so you always get the latest information in one place.
