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The Northern Lights are at it again for their latest incredibly rare showing in UK skies. Experts at Auroura Watch UK have forecasted a red alert for geomagnetic activity this evening (Friday) in London and the UK. These geomagnetic events cause what we call aurora borealis.

Ever since their first dramatic showing on May 10, people across the Northern Hemisphere have been pointing their phones to the skies in hopes of capturing the beautiful green and purple lights dancing across the sky. The Met Office predicted tonight could have another coronal mass ejection from the sun causing an interaction with the Earth's magnetic field producing the amazing lights and it appears they were right.

Aroura Watch UK, run by scientists at the Planetary Physics group at Lancaster University, has published a bar chart showing that the base rate of geomagnetic activity is around 30 to 40 nanoteslas (a unit for measuring magnetism) but at 7pm BST this hit 500 nanoteslas. This massive jump is likely to mean we will be able to see the Northern Lights once again in the UK so get ready to stay up late and turn your phone cameras to the sky.

READ MORE: Met Office alert for best UK spot to stand chance of seeing Northern Lights on Friday, May 17

Tips to see the light show

• Look to the north: Try to figure out which way is north in advance as the Aurora Borealis is drawn towards the poles of the Earth. You may not be able to see the lights directly overhead, but if you look to the North you may see it on the horizon. To help, download a compass app on your phone in advance
• Find somewhere with a clear view: Try to find an area that has no skyscrapers or other tall buildings so that your view is not obscured. Maybe even travel to a quieter area on the outskirts of London if possible to find wide open spaces.
• Get up high: To also help with not having your view obscured, you could have a better chance if you’re on a hill or somewhere high and away from light pollution.
• Stay up as late as you can: You want the sky to be as dark as possible so that you can see the lights. Staying up late helps this since the Auroras are most active in the late evening to early morning hours.
• Use your phone: You can just about see the lights with the naked eye, however cameras can see it better. They can adapt to the wavelengths more than the human eye meaning you'll be able to appreciate the colours even more.

Why it is so rare for the Northern Lights to be seen across UK

The natural aurora belt occurs around Finland, Norway, Iceland and Greenland meaning it takes a severe or extreme geomagnetic storm to bring the belt southwards directly over the UK. This makes it an incredibly rare occurrence. Moderate to strong geomagnetic storms can mean the Aurora borealis moves southwards across southern Iceland or towards the Faroes but these auroras can only be faintly visible from the UK in ideal conditions.

Tips for seeing the aurora in the UK during a severe or extreme storm include it needing to be a clear night with no cloud cover, you'll need to find a dark location with no light pollution and then look towards the northern horizon. The distance to the aurora belt means it can be difficult for it to be seen clearly by eye and it is often portrayed much brighter in pictures.

How to get alerts about UK aurora activity straight to your phone

There is a way of making sure you don’t miss it in future and that’s by downloading a free app on your phone. AuroraWatch UK is a free service offering alerts of when the aurora might be visible from the UK. The picture above shows their alerts for this evening highlighted in red at the top.

It is run by scientists in the Space and Planetary Physics group at Lancaster University’s Department of Physics. You can find it in your phone’s App Store called AuroraWatch UK Aurora Alerts. If you download it, you will get a message on your phone when there is activity likely to lead to the Northern Lights.

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A police incident near Kings Cross station has meant that Pentonville Road has been shut by a large police cordon. The cordon appears to be on Pentonville Road from Caledonian Road to Lorenzo Street, Kings Cross based on pictures from the scene, right outside the Scala nightclub.

It is yet unknown why the major road has been closed, but Met Police have been approached for a comment.

Photos show at least four different police vehicles at the scene with several officers guarding the tape while an investigation is under way. An officer at the scene said it was due to an accident however this has not been confirmed and there were no damaged vehicles in clear sight according to an eyewitness.

Follow our live blog below for the latest updates.

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Since EastEnders launched in 1985 there have been some pretty awful people come and go from Albert Square. The villains of the East End have kept viewers gripped with their scandal, criminal antics and murderous ways.

However, not all bad boys have gotten away with their despicable behaviour. Remember when Archie Mitchell was killed in The Queen Vic by Stacey Slater? Or when Andy Hunter was bumped off by Johnny Allen who threw him off a motorway bridge.

Throughout the decades there have been some nasty men terrorising Walford, but let's turn our attention to four other legendary villains. Big mouth Nick Cotton had been causing trouble since the first episode aired all those years ago until he died in 2015 - exactly 30 years after the character's debut.

READ MORE: EastEnders confirms Whitney and Zack's baby's name as wedding album teased

Meanwhile, Derek Branning gave his old dear 'friend' Pat Butcher the horrors when he arrived in Walford back in 2011. He was the older brother to Max and Jack Branning and never thought twice about winding people up. Derek famously had an affair with Kat Slater and was a general pain in the neck to most residents before he died of a heart attack in 2012.

In 2019, Gray Atkins rolled up to the Square as an extension to the Taylor/Baker family as he was married to gorgeous Chantelle. At first sight, the solicitor was a handsome and charming chap who cared for nothing more than his own family. Until his real personality surfaced and he was a cold bloodied murder.

Gray was last seen in March 2022 serving time for the murders of Chantelle, Tina and Kush - it will be a long time before he sees freedom again. Nish Panesar was welcomed into the arms of his wife Suki in 2022 when he was released from prison and moved to Walford.

Except, Nish is also a twisted killer who picks on his wife and tries to con whoever he can out of a quick business deal. But his whereabouts are currently unknown. So which Walford villain do you see yourself as? Take our test above and find out, but don't forget to let us know your result in the comments.

Want more Albert Square gossip from MyLondon? Sign up to our EastEnders newsletters for all the latest and greatest from Walford here.

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EastEnders fans are already feeling 'let down' by Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) after he seemingly cheated on his wife with Bianca Jackson. Originally, viewers of the BBC soap thought George Knight's estranged son was going to be a "good man" but their hopes have now been dashed.

During Tuesday's trip to Walford (May 14), former pro boxer George, played by Colin Salmon, opted out of an unlicensed bout after finding out that he was fighting his own son. The pair fled nearby for a tense conversation about losing touch over the years as Junior expressed his concern for his dad.

Junior revealed that he was there to do what half-sister Anna (Molly Rainford) had pleaded for: to stop George from fighting and losing his life due to a brain disorder. He didn't know if his dad would recognise him after seven years, but George instantly knew his son.

READ MORE: Dot, Peggy, Pat or Bianca? Find out which Walford gossip queen are you

But when George tried to reconnect, Junior refused, stating he had only shown up for Anna and Gina's (Francesca Henry) sake. As Junior walked away, Anna, Gina, their mum Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) and George's fiancée Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) were forced to leave the venue when George's failure to fight led to a riot.

Junior branded his father "the same old George", and claimed that George had always dealt with his problems by boxing. George and Junior were then confronted by Rufus (Ian Gain), and ended up fighting off more violence before returning to The Queen Vic pub.

Junior ended up at Peggy's bar, where he crossed paths with Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer). Bianca was there drowning her sorrows after being disowned by stepdaughter Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) after allowing Britney Wainwright (Lola Campbell) to steal from the market.

Bianca had also almost slipped up regarding her knowledge of Zack Hudson's (James Farrar) fling. Bianca wasted no time in noticing Junior's lack of wedding ring and they bonded over their own difficult days.

Junior's secret revealed

She took him back to her sister, Sonia Fowler's (Natalie Cassidy) house, where they were awkwardly interrupted by Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman). After kissing and retreating upstairs with Bianca, Junior emerged and headed to a waiting car and spoke to a woman.

The woman asked about his family, but Junior replied that she was his family, before affectionately fist-bumping a little boy, his son, in the backseat. Junior discreetly put his wedding ring on his finger, got in the car and was driven away by wife Monique (Busayo Ige). After Junior's betrayal, some EastEnders viewers are predicting that he is the new villain of Walford.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one person wrote: "Well, Junior is not a nice guy cheating on his wife. And he has a nerve to have her pick him up. #EastEnders". A second stated: "Well okay then it's confirmed junior is an a****** #EastEnders."

A third pointed out: "Junior packing a punch with those guys wanting George to pay up from not fighting #EastEnders". Meanwhile, another stated; "Not loving Junior #JUNIOR #EastEnders .. what a t***."

"Junior is a player. Definitely not to be trusted. #EastEnders", urged one EastEnders fan. "This Junior guy is mad omg. Cheating and having your wife and kids pick you up outside is too insane", added another.

Want more Albert Square gossip from MyLondon? Sign up to our EastEnders newsletters for all the latest and greatest from Walford here.

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ITV launched a brand new reality show, The Fortune Hotel, on Monday evening (May 13) that is set to rival BBC One show The Traitors. Ten pairs were flown out to Grenada in the Caribbean for the new series, in which they must swap suitcases in a bid to scoop a £250,000 prize, and viewers instantly recognised one contestant.

When the contestants arrived at 'The Fortune Hotel’ they were given an all-important briefcase, inside one case is the ultimate jackpot of £250,000 in cash. However, eight of the cases are empty and one contains the dreaded Early Checkout Card – whichever pair is left holding that case at the end of each show will see their stay brought to a dramatic and premature end.

Every day sees the contestants have the chance to try to uncover who has which case through playing compelling challenges. As the ‘Whogotit’ mystery ramps up for the hotel guests, viewers at home will remain in the know throughout and witness all of their plans and strategies playing out.

READ MORE: Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour is a wonderful anecdote for heartbreak and not your normal celeb travelogue

Best friends Chloe and Louie had the best time staying at The Fortune Hotel, even noting it was the most memorable experience during filming.

Chloe said: "Living in the hotel, no holiday will ever compare, it was out of this world. Even during the filming, I just kept thinking to myself this is the life!". Louie echoed this and added that exploring the Caribbean and meeting the locals was "incredible".

But viewers instantly recognised Louie from another reality show. Earlier this year, Louie starred in the E4 series Josh Must Win alongside Nick Grimshaw, Amber Rose Gill, Pete Wicks and Vicky.

Taking to X, one Fortune Hotel viewer wrote: "#TheFortuneHotel Louie was a contestant on Josh The Under Dog on E4". A second stated: "#Louie looks familiar was he in #JoshMustWin? #TheFortuneHotel".

A third added: "#TheFortuneHotel how many shows has this Louie character signed on for? Only last month he picked up money on Josh must win on E4, now this show. Most people can't get on one show let alone two in two months."

"What’s Louie putting on these reality tv applications (or better still who is his agent?!) #TheFortuneHotel", asked on viewer. "#TheFortuneHotel Louie was a contestant on josh the under dog on E4", stated another.

"Watching the Fortune Hotel on @ITV and who is one of the contestants Louie from #joshmustwin lol the researchers didn't do very well! Lol #reusedcontestants #thefortunehotel", exclaimed one person. While another stated: I'm screaming, not Louie from Josh Must Win #TheFortuneHotel."

The Fortune Hotel begins on Monday, May 13 on ITV 1 and ITV X at 9pm. There will be eight 60-minute episodes in total. The following episodes will be shown on consecutive nights in the same time slot.

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The Northern Lights are expected to visible above the UK once more tonight after a series of dazzling natural light shows this weekend. The night of Friday, May 10 saw the most impressive Aurora Borealis displays as the Northern Lights were pictured in Kingston, Croydon and Bromley among other parts of the city.

A sunspot cluster appears to have merged with each other to become one giant super sunspot 17 times the size of Earth which is firing out massive solar flares and plasma towards our planet. This has meant a G5 "extreme" solar storm was sent earthwards - the highest classification.

When these come into contact with Earth the geomagnetic field interacts with them producing this beautiful ethereal display of colour in our skies. The last time a G5-rated storm hit Earth in October 2003, it caused power outages in Sweden.

READ MORE: New Northern Lights alert for England on Sunday, May 12 - and how to get phone notifications

As we look forward to another night of Northern Lights, it's left many people wondering where its official term 'Aurora Borealis' comes from. If you take the simple translation from Latin, the word aurora means 'dawn', while 'borealis' refers to the event taking place in the northern hemisphere.

As these natural light displays also occurred in Tasmania and Argentina this weekend, the technical term for this is Aurora Australis, as they occurred in the southern hemisphere.

The term aurora borealis was coined by the Italian astronomer Galileo in 1619. He used the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas.

Mythology goes that Aurora travelled from east to west announcing the coming of the sun, while the Ancient Greeks used the corresponding name Eos to refer to dawn, often mentioning its play of colours across the otherwise dark sky.

Likewise with borealis, the term australis refers to the god of the south wind, Auster. Tonight (Sunday, May 12), Northern Lights displays are expected to grace our skies once more.

Channel 4 weather presenter Liam Dutton said on X “**LATEST NOAA SPACE PREDICTION** Further coronal mass ejections (CMEs) expected to arrive on Sunday. This means another strong or extreme geomagnetic storm is likely.

“Therefore, there may be another UK-wide showing of the aurora borealis on Sunday night - cloud permitting.” And he later added: “Geomagnetic activity will increase again today, however, as with last night, peak activity may not coincide with darkness. There’ll also be much more cloud around tonight, with clear spells limited. So, the chances of spotting the will be reduced somewhat.”

Scientist group AuroraWatch UK issued a yellow alert on Sunday morning (May 12) saying the phenomenon could be visible with the eye in some areas and with camera equipment more widely. This weekend The Northern Lights, also known as aurora borealis, appeared after the Met Office confirmed a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning for this weekend – the first in nearly 20 years.

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The Northern Lights are set to be visible in the UK once more tonight (Saturday, May 11) with dazzling displays in our skies. This follows an awe inspiring natural show last night that swept the country last night due to an intense geomagnetic storm raging above earth.

But as these beautiful displays appeared in the sky overnight, it left many people wondering why aurora borealis flickered in multiple colours. To answer the question briefly, it's about altitude and oxygen.

Red colours are only visible during periods of the most intense solar activity. This is because the colour is projected by excited atomic oxygen at high altitudes - above 150 miles.

READ MORE: Professor Brian Cox gives hope of 'good chance' we'll see Northern Lights display tonight

Due to the low concentration of oxygen at this high altitude, you can only see red colours in the Northern Lights during these intense storms. Excited atomic oxygen at lower altitudes - up to 150 miles - emits a green colour.

It has a green colour because there is more oxygen at lower altitudes. Lastly, blue and purple colours are created by ionised molecular nitrogen at much lower altitudes of up to 60 miles.

Likewise with red colours, both blue and purple are only seen in the most intense geomagnetic storms. This is oxygen is lower at this altitude, so it's a different reaction altogether which produces these colours.

This weekend a sunspot cluster appears to have merged with each other to become one giant super sunspot 17 times the size of Earth which is firing out massive solar flares and plasma towards our planet. This has meant a G5 "extreme" solar storm was sent earthwards - the highest classification.

When these come into contact with Earth the geomagnetic field interacts with them producing this beautiful ethereal display of colour in our skies. The last time a G5-rated storm hit Earth in October 2003, it caused power outages in Sweden.

Due to this strong storm, multiple colours of the Northern Lights were visible last night. There is a "good chance" that we will experience similar examples of this tonight, according to Professor Brian Cox.

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