Stargazers across Northern Ireland are set to be in for a treat on Thursday as the Northern Lights are expected to illuminate the sky.
Northern Ireland has been named as one of the best places to catch a glimpse of the 'Aurora Borealis' alongside Scotland and northern England.
Aurora Borealis, known as the Northern Lights, is a natural phenomenon in the Earth's sky that display dynamic patterns of brilliant lights covering the entire sky.
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The British Geological Survey (BGS) has issued a 'Geomagnetic Disturbance Alert' for March 31 and April 1.
Taking to Twitter, they said: "Assuming clear dark skies, there is an increased chance of seeing the aurora on 31st March and April 1st. In the UK, those in Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland may have the best opportunities.
"This is due to the expected disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic environment as a result of two Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections or CMEs. Both CMEs are associated with M-class flares, with the first lifting from the Sun at around 11:30UTC on 28th March.
"The second followed approximately 8 hours later, at 19:20UTC. These CMEs are expected to arrive at Earth early on 31st March, causing significant disturbances to the geomagnetic field."
The BGS say that the best way to spot the Northern Lights is to get your timing right and hope for a clear sky.
They said: "It is easier to see the northern lights ( aurora borealis ) in the UK than you might think. All you need is a dark place, a clear sky and very good timing!
"The good timing is important as the northern lights are a result of a geomagnetic storm. These storms are short-lived periods of high geomagnetic activity where the Earth's magnetic field changes very quickly and strong electric currents flow high in the atmosphere."
Unfortunately, there are scattered across Northern Ireland this evening, particularly on the north coast which would be one of the best places to spot Aurora Borealis in NI.
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