MORE solar storms that create the beautiful Northern Lights in our night skies are likely to occur in the coming weeks and months, an academic has said.

People across Bradford district and the UK were left in awe as the dazzling light displays were visible at the start of last weekend.

Professor of Visual Computing Rami Qahwaji, who set up the Space Weather Prediction Group, said solar activity could increase in the short term.

The University of Bradford academic accurately predicted the previous solar storms.

Professor Qahwaji said the sun is currently going through a phase known as the ‘solar maximum’.

He has now suggested that people will be able to get another glimpse of the Northern Lights in the coming weeks and months.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Northern lights seen above Bradford Industrial Museum - captured by T&A Camera Club member Paul DaltonNorthern lights seen above Bradford Industrial Museum - captured by T&A Camera Club member Paul Dalton (Image: Paul Dalton)

He said: “The sun's magnetic field completely flips approximately every 11 years, where its south and north poles switch places.

"This causes the solar cycle, and this cycle affects activity on the surface of the sun, such as sunspots. The solar cycle starts with a solar minimum, when the sun has the least number of sunspots.

"Gradually, the number of sunspots increases until the solar maximum is reached. During solar minimum, there will be fewer solar storms and fewer space weather effects.

“Our sun is a medium-sized star. Other stars could have similar cycles, although their durations will vary considerably.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Photo of the Northern Lights by the T&A Camera Club's Gill McHughPhoto of the Northern Lights by the T&A Camera Club's Gill McHugh (Image: Gill McHugh)

“We are now going through the solar maximum. Initially, it was predicted that the solar maximum would be in 2025, but it seems the sun has reached its peak earlier than expected.

“Solar storms can happen at any time. The biggest solar storms typically happen weeks to years after the solar maximum is reached.

"As the solar cycle progresses, more sunspots appear and could be located closer to the Sun’s equator. The chances of having coronal mass ejections aimed directly at Earth rather than out into space could also increase.” 

'An epic display'

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Photo submitted by Martin BerryPhoto submitted by Martin Berry (Image: T&A Camera Club)

Professor Qahwaji led a dedicated team of Research Assistants and PhD students to develop the AI and Computer Vision Technologies needed for monitoring sunspot activity and predicting solar storms.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Submitted by Matthew Broadbent Submitted by Matthew Broadbent (Image: Reader picture via our Facebook)

He said: “Here in Bradford, we developed one of the world’s first automated real-time systems for the 24/7 monitoring and prediction of extreme solar flares by processing the latest satellite images.

“Our system is called the Automated Solar Activity Prediction (ASAP) and it works with NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite, integrated into NASA’s online space weather portal, used as a decision-making tool for NASA’s robotic missions and to manage radiation effects on NASA’s Chandra x-ray observatory orbit. It is widely acknowledged as an international benchmark.

"The development and impact of ASAP was submitted as an impact case study for the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) and was rated as 100 per cent Internationally Excellent."