Captivating pics of Northern Lights as they dance above Britain in rare sighting
THE starry night sky turned a magnificent pink and green last night as the Northern Lights made a rare appearance over Britain.
Nature's dazzling Aurora Borealis danced above parts of England, Scotland and Wales after a solar flare brought perfect viewing conditions.
The phenomenon, caused by electrically charged particles from the sun smashing into gaseous particles in Earth's atmosphere, lit up the cloudless skies near Hadrian's Wall in Brampton, Cumbria.
Stunning snaps show a tree in perfect silhouette against a backdrop of fluorescent pink.
And the purple sky above glittered with thousands of twinkling stars during the spectacle.
The extravaganza was also spotted from Kensaleyre on the Isle of Skye, Findhorn Beach in Moray, and Sandwick, Shetland, where sightings are more common.
Scotland and surrounding areas tend to be the best place to watch the lights from as they are furthest north.
However, the marvel made a rare appearance off the coast of Llandudno, North Wales, in the early hours of November 3.
It was also visible over Derwentwater, near Keswick, and Kirkby Moor, both in the Lake District, as well as over Crosby Beach, Liverpool.
And even those living as far south as Devon were also treated to a glimpse of the breathtaking display.
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Meteorologists had predicted the Northern Lights could be visible across the UK this week due to a geomagnetic storm.
Areas in complete darkness with no light pollution and low to zero cloud offer the best opportunities for a glance.
It also helps if you are in a remote location, particularly on north-facing coasts.
The Northern Lights are most active during the Equinox and Solstice in March/April and September/October, according to the Met Office.
Heading out at between 7pm and 2am is recommended, but any time in the late evening should give you a glimpse of the glow.
GEOMAGNETIC STORM
Solar storms cause the bright, colourful displays - primarily white, green, pink and purple - which illuminates the sky.
The flares are often joined by a coronal mass ejection - which is a huge expulsion of plasma from the sun's outer layer.
The massive burst of material from the sun prompts a geomagnetic storm - a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere - which brings the aurora to lower latitudes.
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Colour variations occur when different types of gas particles collide with the charged particles.
The most common colour of the aurora is green, which is created when oxygen molecules about 60 miles above the ground react with the particles, whereas nitrogen causes a blue or purple hue.
