Northern Lights Set To Light Up The Sky In March

Enhanced magnetic activity in Earth’s atmosphere has led to more aurora sightings further south than usual over the past year – including in the UK. And now we’re told the northern lights will be visible across the UK once again this month. Here’s everything you need to know.

When To See The Northern Lights In The UK: March 2025

Forecasters say 20 March will be the best night to see the northern lights, with sightings expected throughout the month as the sun approaches its solar maximum.

The peak in magnetic activity coincides with the astronomical first day of spring – but it’s no coincidence. The spring equinox (aka the vernal equinox) is when day and night are of equal length, causing a surge in aurora activity. This happens because Earth’s axis is exactly perpendicular to the direction of solar wind, which is known to cause a jump in aurora activity. Activity is expected to be high in the week leading up to and the week after 20 March, too – so keep your eyes on the skies if you find yourself in a more remote region from around 13 to 27 March.

The colourful lights – which usually appear as curtains, rays, spirals or flickers in shades of pink, purple and green – are expected to be brightest over North America and the Arctic Circle, but there’s a high chance they’ll shine in UK skies, too.

In May 2024, when aurora surprised unsuspecting Brits up and down the country, it was the result of multiple eruptions of plasma from the sun arriving in our atmosphere at nighttime, coinciding with clear skies. In essence, it was the perfect storm: lots of solar activity, nighttime, clear skies. If March’s cloudless skies continue for a few more weeks, we might see the same thing happen this year, too.

How To Take The Perfect Picture

Want to capture the moment long after it has ended? Here’s how to snap the best picture of the Northern Lights. Sometimes the colours even show up better through a camera lens – so don’t roll your eyes until you’ve tried it.

Stay up to date with the latest northern lights forecast at aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk