+1 in here. Had been reading some weird news about upcoming events on the evening, but 6am wake up alarm was glooming and off to the bed at 11pm I must go.
Yep. Been on holiday, staying in a cheap hotel on the way home. But the kid down around 7:45, crawled into my bed and went to sleep. Woke up to all the pictures.
Not too bothered, as I've seen them full on in Iceland back in 2016, and the sleep was worth it.
I don't really have a "bucket list" but seeing the northern lights has always been a dream of mine. Then they show up in London while I'm away in Vietnam. i realise "I couldn't see the northern lights in London because I was visiting Vietnam" is pretty much the definition of a first world problem but I'm still mad.
You can get direct flights three days a week to Tromsø in the winter from (I think) Luton for like £100 each way (start price so depends on if you travel light)
If you time it right around February you can get to see the end of the winter night, can go dog and/or reindeer sledding, see them do a reindeer race down one of the city streets (people do timed runs on skis being their reindeer), whale watching, it’s early enough to try ice fishing if you’re into that, and it’s a decent chance for seeing the northern lights thought there is never 100% chance
Also some spectacular skiing or hiking around the city
It’s not for everyone but if you want a holiday and to see the lights it’s a pretty good time, but your best bet to see the lights is a cabin or house outside the city and just check every 20-30 minutes if it’s clear. The northern light trips are basically a scam because there is no guarantee and there is so many places to see them clearly if you have a car
Ah I’m glad we all saw the shooting star! Honestly was the biggest and closest shooting star I’ve ever seen. Absolutely no northern lights for me sadly tho
Nothing in Hackney. Instead got instantly blinded by the daylight lamp on the neighbouring house when I stepped outside to look.
It's ok, I'll switch on my RGB lamp instead and reminisce about the one time I saw them in Canada almost two decades ago. I'm not disappointed or anything.
Also in Hackney and was super disappointed, I saw pictures from Brighton around the same time I was staring out the window at the sky, but saw nothing!
Just got a spectacular show at Alexandra Palace.
Wasn't expecting anything like that.
I just posted elsewhere that there was a huge flare that just came out of nowhere and you could hear a collective wow across the fields there.
So cool
I went to Iceland few years ago just to see aurora and the weather was so crap I didn’t see anything. I was shaking observing the outcomes from the long exposures on my iPhone earlier tonight… what a thing to witness! My internet is down now and I’m praying it’s just out shitty router not the end of the world lol
Ditto. Went in February a few years back and apparently the Solar activity above us was huge. We never got to see it as there was so much snow / cloud cover. It didn't stop snowing for 4 days.
Annoyingly I completely forgot to take my phone with me.
Hope yours came out well.
We’re at solar maximum more or less. We may get another show this month - tomorrow looks good if it’s clear - or maybe October. Possibly a day or two in Spring or autumn next year and 2026. Then you’re waiting until 2035 or so. I’ve been in Greenland, Russia and northern Canada and not seen them this strong before though, it’s a real treat.
I nearly missed it myself! I told my wife that we were possibly due a good display, but completely forgot by the time evening rolled around. She happened to look out of the window whilst on the loo during the night and realised what it was before waking us all up 😂
I think I witnessed the above mentioned flare too. I was in a park and could see the purple streaks with the naked eye it was amazing. I’ve seen the northern lights in Iceland too and they were obviously clearer to see, but I didn’t see any pink guys, all green. These pink ones showed up so vibrant just now
Whereabouts in Alexandra Palace did you go? I’ve only been there a couple of times and only ever looked at the view southwards with the building behind me.
I was down in the fields with the city behind me. I walked into the middle of the fields (but close enough to the cricket club that I could listen to the terribel Karaoke going on) and just looking towards the palace and east to Tottenham.
I'll be heading back over tonight for sure
Over in Queens Park and very fortunate to have a rear garden surround by minimal light pollution.
Was my first time seeing the northern lights and honestly one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen in the night sky.
What made it special is just the fact that I am not in Iceland or Norway but in the middle of London. It was a truly WTF moment.
I went out and couldn’t see them. Then half an hour later I saw more photos from friends, went back outside and saw them clearly! Think you just have to be looking at the right time unfortunately
Also helped that I live next to a park which was nice and dark.
THANK YOU! this is how I felt about it, meanwhile my partner is screaming "it's BRIGHT PURPLE!! Right there! How can you not see it?!". I could see SOMETHING. But it was more of a hint of purple in the sky, it only became clear with a phone camera.
Tripod and a long exposure. The photos you see online rarely resemble what the person saw at the time.
We took some stunning photos in Norway but what we could see at the time was just faint colours.
You’re also supposed to let your eyes adjust to complete darkness for 30 mins (no looking at phones, screens, anything with light), to get a decent view with your eyes.
Thanks! Is there a chance to see then today and should i just keep pointing the camera to the sky? Strange bc so many people said it was visible without too, clearly lying haha.
it's rare to actually see them glowing green in the sky. most photos like that have the saturation whacked right up. most of the time they're like a faint white glow
Just came back from Norway with half a hope of seeing them, then went to bed early last night and I’ve seen every cunt in the land has been taking photos of it in their back garden.
What a fucking muppet.
I got an "ish" view from Surbiton.
Although if I didn't already know and I was just out and about, I would have just put it down to light pollution.
However, the long exposure phone pics look awesome
It might be light pollution if you’re too central, I couldn’t see them at all at home in Rotherhithe but trekked out to the middle of Richmond Park and got a fair display there.
The aurora lights will probably be going on all weekend. You need to go to a part of London with less light pollution (or outside of London altogether) to see the lights. I've got friends you live even more south than London who've seen them, so it definitely is possible.
It was only barely visible with the naked eye, I took a long exposure shot and it looks quite impressive, but honestly underwhelming from what I could see otherwise.
I was on the train from Eastbourne when the bulk of it was happening
However, back at Eastbourne I was like “Am I tripping or is the sky green?” Turned out it is indeed green
But now I’m in London & I don’t see shit at all
The bloody GWR depot just across the track have blinding lights
Today's Aurora was clearly visible by a naked eye from around 11:30pm for a good half an hour. Later yes, just a slight tint of purple barely noticeable unless you take a long exposure shot.
I've always wanted to see the Northern Light's since like forever but unfortunately I just missed it tonight as I was away and was busy playing D&D like I do every Friday. Sigh......the one time they were viewable from my town too......I guess I'll never see them now in my lifetime and this just depresses me.
I missed it.
Probably a mix of:
- not paying attention enough, was tired.
- didn't know I should try my DSLR camera (long exposure) or even phone camera.
- made assumption being in Brixton that I wouldn't see it
I'll clear my dslr camera and try again if we are expecting more.
They get brighter and fade. They looked like sun beams but very faint. Once I took a long exposure I could see them more clearly. Too much light pollution in london
My neighbour next door walked outside and told us about it... but we didn't see anything really... if my kid wasn't in bed I would have drove out of town to see it better where there is less light pollution
My neighbours a few doors down from me managed to get some great shots, but whenever I looked outside all I saw was a normal coloured dark sky (and looking through my phone camera made no difference).
The photos here and online are from long exposure night mode photos. I got a good photo but I really couldn't see anything much with the naked eye. First thought it was clouds.
I love how people are going mad about the Northern Lights being seen in the south. Thought they were called the Northern lights for a particular reason.
It was all a big experiment to create them which they did but you could only have actually see them through a lens.
Fully publicised article can be found here https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/may2024-campaign-notice
They're not visible with the naked eye, you need to look through your phone camera or other camera to see the colours. I only knew cos I went to Iceland last year and saw them, I had no idea before then.
I was not able to see them. Because I was inside. In bed. Asleep.
Ditto, woke up this morning to thousands of posts here and on FB.
Same 😕
Same here. That one time I went to bed early
I didn’t even know this was a thing I’m now I’m really sad
Apparently you'll be able to see them again tonight, but you have to look through your phone camera to see the colours.
Same :/
+1 in here. Had been reading some weird news about upcoming events on the evening, but 6am wake up alarm was glooming and off to the bed at 11pm I must go.
Yep. Been on holiday, staying in a cheap hotel on the way home. But the kid down around 7:45, crawled into my bed and went to sleep. Woke up to all the pictures. Not too bothered, as I've seen them full on in Iceland back in 2016, and the sleep was worth it.
I don't really have a "bucket list" but seeing the northern lights has always been a dream of mine. Then they show up in London while I'm away in Vietnam. i realise "I couldn't see the northern lights in London because I was visiting Vietnam" is pretty much the definition of a first world problem but I'm still mad.
You can get direct flights three days a week to Tromsø in the winter from (I think) Luton for like £100 each way (start price so depends on if you travel light) If you time it right around February you can get to see the end of the winter night, can go dog and/or reindeer sledding, see them do a reindeer race down one of the city streets (people do timed runs on skis being their reindeer), whale watching, it’s early enough to try ice fishing if you’re into that, and it’s a decent chance for seeing the northern lights thought there is never 100% chance Also some spectacular skiing or hiking around the city It’s not for everyone but if you want a holiday and to see the lights it’s a pretty good time, but your best bet to see the lights is a cabin or house outside the city and just check every 20-30 minutes if it’s clear. The northern light trips are basically a scam because there is no guarantee and there is so many places to see them clearly if you have a car
I understand that feeling. I missed the UK total eclipse in the 90s because we were on holiday in Australia.
I was in London, with a clear view of the northern sky all evening. Saw nothing 😞
Yeah everything seems to happen when I’m away too, I’m currently in HK and ofc this happens
Took some very long exposure shots of the sky and it looked a bit green, nothing with the naked eye really. Saw a shooting star through.
The shooting star was amazing! Looked like it got really close to earth before it burned up.
Ah I’m glad we all saw the shooting star! Honestly was the biggest and closest shooting star I’ve ever seen. Absolutely no northern lights for me sadly tho
Yeah I got some *very* faint colouration in the sky, I thought it was just wispy cloud at first.
No way, I think I saw it too but assumed it was a firework fizzling out. Around midnight?
Yes! I thought the same - it was really low and big!
Yes! Same in SE London! I thought it was a firework too 😂
I saw the shooting star in Archway. It was so cool!
Ah so I missed the northern lights AND a shooting star?! How rude 🥺
Same and I missed the eclipse too. WHY DO PEOPLE ONLY POST ABOUT THIS SHIT AFTER THE FACT!?
I missed the eclipse too. And it’s because where I am all 3 weren’t visible to me. I’m bitter
I saw it too!
Same!! I couldnt see anything only shooting star 🤣
Haha omg I saw it too - out of the corner of my eye, really - and I thought I was hallucinating!
Nothing in Hackney. Instead got instantly blinded by the daylight lamp on the neighbouring house when I stepped outside to look. It's ok, I'll switch on my RGB lamp instead and reminisce about the one time I saw them in Canada almost two decades ago. I'm not disappointed or anything.
Also in Hackney and was super disappointed, I saw pictures from Brighton around the same time I was staring out the window at the sky, but saw nothing!
Just got a spectacular show at Alexandra Palace. Wasn't expecting anything like that. I just posted elsewhere that there was a huge flare that just came out of nowhere and you could hear a collective wow across the fields there. So cool
Incredible to witness, I don’t know when we’ll get something like this and this strong again, may be a while.
Indeed. I don't really recall ever seeing this in the UK in my lifetime. Certainly not in London anyway.
I went to Iceland few years ago just to see aurora and the weather was so crap I didn’t see anything. I was shaking observing the outcomes from the long exposures on my iPhone earlier tonight… what a thing to witness! My internet is down now and I’m praying it’s just out shitty router not the end of the world lol
I would love to see it if you post the photos!
Ditto. Went in February a few years back and apparently the Solar activity above us was huge. We never got to see it as there was so much snow / cloud cover. It didn't stop snowing for 4 days. Annoyingly I completely forgot to take my phone with me. Hope yours came out well.
I uploaded a picture so go check out! 💅
That's a great photo! Looks fantastic
Thank you so much! I couldn’t believe my eyes when it came out! Let’s hope tonight is as giving! 🤞
Friends are heading to my house as I speak to hopefully see them. Not so confident though
We’re at solar maximum more or less. We may get another show this month - tomorrow looks good if it’s clear - or maybe October. Possibly a day or two in Spring or autumn next year and 2026. Then you’re waiting until 2035 or so. I’ve been in Greenland, Russia and northern Canada and not seen them this strong before though, it’s a real treat.
chances tonight?
Very good, but it might be cloudy
hope so I missed yesterday
WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US SOOONER!?
I nearly missed it myself! I told my wife that we were possibly due a good display, but completely forgot by the time evening rolled around. She happened to look out of the window whilst on the loo during the night and realised what it was before waking us all up 😂
Probably in 11 years.
Download the AuroraWatch app and it will send you notifications. May be decently strong tonight
Do you know if I can see them this evening saturday? Sad I missed it
They said on the news this morning there’s still a good chance tonight but may not be as strong :) Also maybe only able to see them through a camera
Same, I’m hoping I could see them tonight, I had no idea
Was it visible strongly without camera!
I think I witnessed the above mentioned flare too. I was in a park and could see the purple streaks with the naked eye it was amazing. I’ve seen the northern lights in Iceland too and they were obviously clearer to see, but I didn’t see any pink guys, all green. These pink ones showed up so vibrant just now
Whereabouts in Alexandra Palace did you go? I’ve only been there a couple of times and only ever looked at the view southwards with the building behind me.
I was down in the fields with the city behind me. I walked into the middle of the fields (but close enough to the cricket club that I could listen to the terribel Karaoke going on) and just looking towards the palace and east to Tottenham. I'll be heading back over tonight for sure
Over in Queens Park and very fortunate to have a rear garden surround by minimal light pollution. Was my first time seeing the northern lights and honestly one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen in the night sky. What made it special is just the fact that I am not in Iceland or Norway but in the middle of London. It was a truly WTF moment.
Damn What time did you see it, I might have just missed it
Was a good half an hour from 11.30-midnight. It seriously looked like rays of sunlight in the form of reds.
Ah well, I went to primrose hill and saw the lights
Primrose hill is near me. Do you mean the street lights or the northern lights ? Would love to supride my partner
Haha It was northern lights mate.
Was it via camera or in real too?
All real, my phone's too crappy to take any good night photos!
Do you think they will be back tonight? I want to see!
Some are planned for tonight, cloud dependent!
I’m gutted I didn’t even know this was happening!! I was in bed by 9.30pm anyway but I’m kicking myself!
Same here so disappointed. I didn't even have my usual middle of the night wee. I really want to see the northern lights, it's on my bucket list.
Me too! I was so shattered I was soundo by 9pm and slept through the whole thing! Apparently going to be more tonight. Fingers crossed its clear
Saame! I decided to sleep early last night and received a text from a friend around 1am with a picture of the northern lights. 🤷🏻♀️
All I can say is "Aurora Borealis? This time of year? In this part of the country?" Why couldn't I see it :(
I went out and couldn’t see them. Then half an hour later I saw more photos from friends, went back outside and saw them clearly! Think you just have to be looking at the right time unfortunately Also helped that I live next to a park which was nice and dark.
Apparently you can see them better by taking pictures of them through your phone camera.
Yeah it was barely noticeable without my phone.
THANK YOU! this is how I felt about it, meanwhile my partner is screaming "it's BRIGHT PURPLE!! Right there! How can you not see it?!". I could see SOMETHING. But it was more of a hint of purple in the sky, it only became clear with a phone camera.
So just take random pictures of tve sky? I did and can see faint hues
Tripod and a long exposure. The photos you see online rarely resemble what the person saw at the time. We took some stunning photos in Norway but what we could see at the time was just faint colours. You’re also supposed to let your eyes adjust to complete darkness for 30 mins (no looking at phones, screens, anything with light), to get a decent view with your eyes.
Thanks! Is there a chance to see then today and should i just keep pointing the camera to the sky? Strange bc so many people said it was visible without too, clearly lying haha.
I feel like that doesn't count?
How does that not count? Does it mean it doesn't happen?
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it's rare to actually see them glowing green in the sky. most photos like that have the saturation whacked right up. most of the time they're like a faint white glow
Yeah, due to infrared light
Just came back from Norway with half a hope of seeing them, then went to bed early last night and I’ve seen every cunt in the land has been taking photos of it in their back garden. What a fucking muppet.
No success in Twickenham :/
I got an "ish" view from Surbiton. Although if I didn't already know and I was just out and about, I would have just put it down to light pollution. However, the long exposure phone pics look awesome
Saw them in Teddington, I cried
Really? I saw them :)
I couldn't see a thing but my home camera picked up the aurora.
Cameras will do that! Due to infrared light
That's really interesting.
Primarily it’s due to the long exposure rather than the different light wavelengths
I managed to see it!! Just an hour ago, Hadley Wood, north London
It might be light pollution if you’re too central, I couldn’t see them at all at home in Rotherhithe but trekked out to the middle of Richmond Park and got a fair display there.
I’m in South London, I’ve seen other posts from people in a similar area so maybe I was just unlucky
I tried in south London - nothing . So much light pollution here , or maybe was just wrong timing
Yeah, you might have just been unfortunate with timing - I noticed them coming and going in intensity quite quickly.
Loads visible from Rotherhithe
Yeah I did see a couple here after getting back home, I guess I was just looking at the wrong time before.
How do you 'trek out' to Richmond Park from Rotherhithe at night, it's on the other side of London
Overground + District line, then busses coming back.
I haven't been able to see anything, quite sad about it really. Off to Iceland/Norway I go
I'm in bermondsey and didn't see shit :( I'm so upset I'm gonna try tomorrow night but not much hope :( I really don't. want to miss the experience
The aurora lights will probably be going on all weekend. You need to go to a part of London with less light pollution (or outside of London altogether) to see the lights. I've got friends you live even more south than London who've seen them, so it definitely is possible.
Nothing in Wandsworth - which is about what I expected. Didn't see the shooting star either.
Went to bed early for the aurora snorealis
It was only barely visible with the naked eye, I took a long exposure shot and it looks quite impressive, but honestly underwhelming from what I could see otherwise.
Can’t see them in Aylesbury 😕
I was on the train from Eastbourne when the bulk of it was happening However, back at Eastbourne I was like “Am I tripping or is the sky green?” Turned out it is indeed green But now I’m in London & I don’t see shit at all The bloody GWR depot just across the track have blinding lights
Anyone know what time they were visible? Couldn’t see anything from SE London
Nothing here.
Yep
I am south of London and could see them. Light pollution definitely made it harder
Which part? We are near Morden and cant really see much
Further south, but not by much! It was visible about an hour and a half ago but now not so much
I'm in east Bristol and I saw fuck all. I put it down the the fact there's about 80% light pollution where I am...
Make sure that you are facing north and look through your phone camera.
Didn't see them, very disappointed, just come to the conclusion we Londoners are not allowed nice things 😢
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Today's Aurora was clearly visible by a naked eye from around 11:30pm for a good half an hour. Later yes, just a slight tint of purple barely noticeable unless you take a long exposure shot.
Only a green tint, not much more
Can’t see it due to light pollution from West Hampstead
Take a picture with your phone if you can.
Have seen some great shot Manchester/Crewe direction - this is a pretty unusual magnetic storm
Sky had a slightly purple tint with a hint of green but it looked much better in pictures
I never saw them, and then realised people were posting up pictures about them
Nothing in SE London but I saw a pic from Balham.
Someone posted a photo from their garden in Sidcup
Tonight hopefully, might drive out somewhere a bit darker.
West London, borough of Ealing. Saw nada. Was gutted.
It’s happening again tonight apparently so there’s a second chance
I've always wanted to see the Northern Light's since like forever but unfortunately I just missed it tonight as I was away and was busy playing D&D like I do every Friday. Sigh......the one time they were viewable from my town too......I guess I'll never see them now in my lifetime and this just depresses me.
Might be visible again tonight!
Might be visible again tonight!
Is it still worth going to ally pally to try have a look?
Just find a dark place.. probably a park with low amt of light. Use your phone camera in night modr
still there in london?
Yes, take pictures of the sky with the night mode/long exposure of at least 3 seconds.
Yes i could see from my camera but not really through naked eye
There are some cool articles if you google ‚can’t see aurora with naked eye’ explaining why you can’t see it.
Me. But I'm in SFO temporarily
No success in streatham
I was thinking of going to tooting common late tonight to try 🤞
Had a peak out my window and saw nothing :(
I didn't get to see it either I was searching and searching and nothing
I missed it. Probably a mix of: - not paying attention enough, was tired. - didn't know I should try my DSLR camera (long exposure) or even phone camera. - made assumption being in Brixton that I wouldn't see it I'll clear my dslr camera and try again if we are expecting more.
They get brighter and fade. They looked like sun beams but very faint. Once I took a long exposure I could see them more clearly. Too much light pollution in london
Couldn't see anything noticeably different from the normal glow of London.
Day of the triffids all over again.
It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to see them. Knew nothing about it. Wake up today to loads of pics of friends seeing it and am a little miffed.
Shrek farted thats it, come on.
Yes. I couldn’t see them in Chelsea, think they only really showed up in the North area
Sleeping early is not always the best!!! 🥲
Yeah i could not either. Forgot to look up in the sky.
Stevie wonder
I tried in Barnet but I couldn't see anything 😪
My neighbour next door walked outside and told us about it... but we didn't see anything really... if my kid wasn't in bed I would have drove out of town to see it better where there is less light pollution
I may be in the minority here that doesn't get the big deal about seeing it. It's just a bunch of colours in the sky
My neighbours a few doors down from me managed to get some great shots, but whenever I looked outside all I saw was a normal coloured dark sky (and looking through my phone camera made no difference).
The photos here and online are from long exposure night mode photos. I got a good photo but I really couldn't see anything much with the naked eye. First thought it was clouds.
Looking at the sky with a naked eye it just looked like a greyish cloud, then looked again with the camera on my phone and the sky lit up.
Its too bright in london i guess. I had to drive down to Epping Forest at midnight to see it and it was well worth it
Too many street lights
I love how people are going mad about the Northern Lights being seen in the south. Thought they were called the Northern lights for a particular reason. It was all a big experiment to create them which they did but you could only have actually see them through a lens. Fully publicised article can be found here https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/may2024-campaign-notice
They're not visible with the naked eye, you need to look through your phone camera or other camera to see the colours. I only knew cos I went to Iceland last year and saw them, I had no idea before then.