The best places to see the aurora in the UK are Scotland, Northern England, Northern Wales and Northern Ireland. The further North you are, the more likely you are to see them.
As of October 2021, solar activity is picking up, and so are the chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, from more southern locations.
Aurora is the result of charged particles emitted by the Sun encountering gases such as oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to glow.
Usually, this spectacle is visible from northern latitudes such as Iceland and Norway. However, when the Sun is particularly active, solar storms can result in Aurora being visible much further South.
Aurora in Iceland (we’re working on photographing it from the UK!)
In addition, the chances of seeing Aurora is reasonably predictable. Several space-based telescopes constantly observe the Sun looking for coronal holes, vast gaps in the Sun’s outer atmosphere, and eruptions called Coronal Mass Ejections, or CME’s.
It takes approximately two days for the energy from these sources, in the form of particles travelling at speed, to cross the ~93 million miles to Earth.
By checking websites such as spaceweather.com, it’s possible to plan a trip to a dark sky site, aurora viewpoint or anywhere away from light pollution with a clear northern horizon.
Clear skies!
Map of aurora viewpoints
Below is a map of the best aurora viewpoints. We are constantly adding to this map, for more suggestions see our location map.
List of aurora viewpoints
-
Alemoor Reservoir
Roberton, Hawick, Roxburghshire, TD9
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Backwater Reservoir
Blairgowrie, Dykends, Perthshire, PH11 8PR
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Blackhall Rocks Local Nature Reserve
Blackhall Colliery, Hartlepool, Cleveland, TS27 4AT
Aurora Viewpoint
More info
-
Blakey Ridge Car Park
Blakey Bank, Church Houses, North Yorkshire, YO62 7LQ
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Caton Moor Windfarm
Caton, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA2 9HF
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Creswell Beach Car Park
Beach Road, Cresswell, Northumberland, NE61 5LF
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Dunsten Steads Car Park
Dunsten Steads, Embleton, Northumberland, NE66 3DT
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Embleton Quarry Nature Reserve
Embleton, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 3XP
Aurora Viewpoint, Recommended Stargazing Site
More info
-
Filey Brigg Car Park
Filey, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO14 9ET
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Gleconglass Car Park
Ballindalloch, Tomintoul, Banffshire, AB37 9EP
Aurora Viewpoint, Recommended Stargazing Site
More info
-
Morton Castle and Loch
Thornhill, Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, DG3 5EH
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Pilling Embankment
Fluke Hall Lane, Pilling, Lancashire, PR3 6HP
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Rosedale Chimney Bank
Rosedale Abbey, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 8SE
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Slains Castle Car Park
Cruden Bay, Errolston, Aberdeenshire, AB42 0PW
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
St Mary’s Island Car Park
Whitley Bay, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, NE26 4RS
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
Tarn Hows Car Park – Lake District
Hawkshead Hill, Hawkshead, Cumbria, LA22 0PP
Aurora Viewpoint, Go Stargazing Site
More info
-
The Carrachs
Chapeltown, Ballindalloch, Banffshire, AB37 9JS
Aurora Viewpoint, Dark Sky Discovery Site
More info
-
Yorke’s Folly Car Park – Nidderdale
Nought Bank Road, Bewerley, North Yorkshire, HG3 5JA
Aurora Viewpoint, Recommended Stargazing Site
More info
Nominate an organisation to receive a telescope from Scopes4SEN
How to see the Geminids meteor shower
Astronomy gift ideas for Christmas
Under One Sky 2021 - Global Dark Skies Conference