A powerful solar flare could potentially spark northern lights displays later this week. This occurred due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) on May 10 - a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun's corona. They can eject billions of tons of coronal material and carry a strong magnetic field.

The eruption leaked at 1.13pm on Sunday and is now rotating into Earth's "strike zone" on the Sun's northeastern edge. Any major solar flares or CMEs will have a greater chance of being directed towards Earth as this comes into view over the next few days.

The Met Office says part of the expanding plume of solar material could brush past Earth around May 13 - in just two days' time.

This could trigger minor geomagnetic storm conditions, enhancing the northern lights across the UK and northern US.

The northern lights are visible in the UK multiple times a year, particularly during active solar periods, with 2026 being a peak year.

While best seen in Scotland and high-latitude areas every few months, strong solar storms occasionally make them visible across the UK, including the south, between September and March.

They were last seen in the UK during intense displays on 23-24 March 2026, with significant sightings reported further south across the country earlier in the year.

The spectacular displays are created by solar activity, where charged particles from the Sun's atmosphere travel through space as solar wind and collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere.

These collisions excite oxygen and nitrogen atoms, which release energy in the form of glowing, colourful lights.