Hundreds of Brits have reported seeing the Northern Lights from their windows tonight thanks to a severe geomagnetic storm that threatens to disrupt the world’s power grids.
Pictures shared on social media show large swathes of the country draped in a spectacular light display known as an aurora.
The phenomenon was captured across the UK including in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Tyne and Wear, Essex, Berkshire and Kent.
Scientists previously raised concerns that the geomagnetic storm – the first to strike Earth in almost 20 years – has the power to disrupt power grids, mobile networks and GPS satellites.
The brilliant colours of the aurora are caused by electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with the Earth’s magnetic field.
Usually, the sun only ejects enough plasma to trigger lights around the poles where the magnetic fields are at their strongest.
LINCOLNSHIRE: The Northern Lights captured in the sky above Skegness this evening
TYNE AND WEAR: The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glow on the horizon at St Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the North East coast
LINCOLNSHIRE: The Nothern Lights appeared in the sky above Skegness, Lincolnshire tonight as part of a rare geomagnetic storm
NORTH LONDON: The Northern Lights in North London this evening as part of a rare geomagnetic storm
BERKSHIRE: The Northern Lights captured in Winnersh, Berkshire this evening
ESSEX: The Northern Lights captured in Essex – the sky turned purple and green as part of the geomagnetic storm
Pictures shared on social media show large swathes of the country draped in a spectacular light display known as an aurora
KENT: The Northern Lights in the skies above Kent
But during events called ‘coronal mass ejections’ the sun releases huge waves of plasma from its corona – the sun’s outermost layer.
On Thursday, a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch was issued for the first time since January 2005.
And the Met Office predicted that stargazers as far south as Cornwall would be able to catch a glimpse of the the light display.
Met Office Space Weather Manager Krista Hammond told on Friday: ‘While short nights at this time of year will limit the visibility window, if conditions are right there’s a good chance of sightings on Friday night.
On Thursday, a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch was issued for the first time since January 2005. Pictured: The Northern Lights over the UK
SURREY: The brilliant colours of the aurora are caused by electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with the Earth’s magnetic field
ESSEX: The Northern Lights above Great Dunmow, Essex
ESSEX: The Northern Lights appeared in the sky above Essex
DERBYSHIRE: The Northern Lights captured in Derbyshire this evening
‘Aurora visibility may persist through Saturday night, but as it stands this is likely to be less widespread than on Friday night with northern parts of the UK most likely to continue to have the best viewing potential.’
Mathew Owens, professor of space physics at the University of Reading, also said it’s worth looking north in the night’s sky at around 2am UK time tonight (early Saturday morning).
‘If you’re late to bed or up before sunrise, it’s worth looking north as you may see the Northern Lights,’ he said.
‘A strong aurora is probable for Scotland and northern England (and the weather looks to be cooperating for optimal viewing).
‘It may stretch further south, but until we have those magnetic field measurements when the CMEs arrive, it’s hard to say.’