Northern Lights stun UK down to England's south coast
The Northern Lights were visible across much of the UK, including southern regions, due to intense solar activity. The Met Office confirmed the phenomenon was caused by coronal mass ejections from the Sun.
Why it matters
The event highlights the impact of space weather on Earth and provided a rare, widespread public interest event across the UK.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers / Jonny Gios Image caption, Kendal in Cumbria paid host to the breathtaking scenes on Saturday
Residents across the UK were left stunned as the sky was illuminated by the spectacular colours of the Northern Lights on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The natural phenomenon, known as the Aurora Borealis, is the result of increased solar activity.
Such occurrences are mostly visible near the Arctic Circle and northern Scotland, but particularly strong activity levels meant they could be seen as far south as Devon, Hampshire and Kent on Saturday night.
The Met Office has said sightings could continue to be possible during clear skies until Tuesday.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers / Simon Luckman 1988 Image caption, The phenomenon was visible as a pink haze in Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk, on Friday
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