THERE was a treat for star gazers in Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and the Forest of Dean tonight as the Aurora Borealis lit up part of the northern night sky.

The Met Office had posted: “A fast coronal mass ejection (CME), a large eruption of charged matter from the Sun, left the Sun yesterday and is expected to arrive at Earth overnight tonight or on Tuesday morning.

“This could bring the chance to see the Northern Lights, particularly across Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England, and potentially further south, though visibility will depend on the timing of its arrival.”

Krista Hammond, Met Office Space Weather Manager, said: “There is still some uncertainty around the exact timing of the CME’s arrival, but it is expected overnight tonight or tomorrow morning.

“The CME is likely to result in geomagnetic storming, giving the potential to view the aurora. However, sightings are dependent on the CME arriving during hours of darkness and clear skies.

“The effects of the CME may linger into Tuesday night, with aurora sightings possible across Scotland, perhaps also Northern Ireland and northern England, where skies are clear. This is likely to wane further by Wednesday night, perhaps with some glimpses possible from the far north of Scotland.”

Storms of this size are common during this stage of the Sun’s solar cycle and can create opportunities to see the Northern Lights, weather permitting.