THE Northern Lights illuminated Britain's skies in a stunning display of red, green and blue last night.
Breathtaking photos of the stunning natural phenomenon, also known as aurora borealis, were captured across the country by Brits.
The Met Office had said that the viewings were likely in Scotland and Northern Ireland and possible in the north of England and the Midlands.
However, thanks in part to relatively clear skies, they were visible for huge numbers of Brits well beyond this.
The beautiful lights could be seen as far south as London.
The lights also spotted further north in Lancaster by Professor Jim Wild, 49, who captured the Northern Lights from his back garden.
The academic, who researches the aurora and space weather at Lancaster University, said: "My research focuses on the physics of the connections between the Sun and the Earth.
"Over the years, I've been to the Arctic Circle several times to make measurements of the aurora, but it's really special to see the northern lights from your back garden with your whole family."
People are advised to use a long exposure camera to capture the auroras, as the phenomenon is not always visible with the naked eye.
The UK has seen more of the Northern Lights in 2024 than in many recent years.
Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles.
As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.
The Met Office said relatively clear skies were forecast for much of the UK, creating a "decent chance of visibility".
A spokesman for the forecaster said there had been "more space weather events in recent months", including the Northern Lights, because the sun was nearing the peak of its solar cycle.
The auroras on Earth, which are most commonly seen over high polar latitudes but can spread south, are chiefly influenced by geomagnetic storms which originate from activity on the Sun.
The sun works on a cycle of around 11 years called the solar cycle - with peak sunspot activity on the surface of the Sun referred to as solar maximum.
Sunspots give the potential for Earth-directed releases of large bursts of energy, called coronal mass ejections, which can lead to aurora visibility.
Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles.
As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.
There have been several mesmerising displays visible from both sides of the Atlantic already this year.
But flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.
Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles.
In the northern hemisphere, most of this activity takes place within a band known as the aurora oval, covering latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees.
When activity is strong, this expands to cover a greater area - which explains why displays can be occasionally seen as far south as the UK.
The visibility of the Northern Lights was increased on Friday because of an "extreme" geomagnetic storm, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The phenomenon appears as beautiful dancing green and purple ribbons of light that have captivated people for millennia.
Here's the official explanation from Nasa...
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