Britons were stunned Wednesday night when the Northern Lights displayed a stunning display that lit up the night skies from as far south as Devon.
The stunning aurora saw streaks of green light glowing across parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland and northerly parts of Wales and England after a solar flare was spotted heading to Earth.
According to the Met Office, a coronal Mass Ejection (CME), was observed leaving the Sun on November 2nd and reaching Earth Wednesday evening.
When charged particles from the Sun meet the Earth’s magnetosphere, it generates a geomagnetic storm that produces eye-catching light shows, but the displays are usually limited to high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic.
These shows can also be visible at lower latitudes when coronal mass or solar flares are particularly strong.
In recent months, there has been an increase in larger flares which can cause more southerly arctic aurora. The latest was on Thursday, October 28. This storm is also known as Halloween storm.
MailOnline presents some of the most impressive light displays that amazed Britons as the solar flare hit Earth on Wednesday night.
DEVON – Luke Farley witnessed the Northern Lights in the vicinity of Crediton at 9pm on Wednesday. It was a spectacular display of aurora.
CUMBRIA – A Twitter user named Kathelcymru shared amazing photographs of the night sky in Eden Valley, Cumbria lit up by streaks green light.
CUMBRIA: When charged particles from the Sun meet the Earth’s magnetosphere, it generates a geomagnetic storm that produces eye-catching light shows, like those seen by Kathel in Eden Valley, Cumbria
BEDFORDSHIRE: Photographer Roger Skillin caught a glimpse of the Northern Lights as far south as Cranfield, Bedfordshire, on the cloudless Wednesday night
CUMBRIA. There are many low-light pollution and cloud-free areas in the UK, with the displays being spotted in various areas across Britain, including in Cumbria by Kathel at Eden Valley.
CUMBRIA – As Kathel captured in photographs, the night skies of Eden Valley, Cumbria were lit up by streaks of green light, the aurora became apparent.