The Northern Lights were visible across large parts of the UK over the weekend, with sightings captured as far south as Kent and Surrey. The aurora borealis lit up skies over the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast in the early hours of Sunday, with pictures also showing green and pink hues across southern England.
Met Office forecast for Sunday and Monday
The Met Office said the Northern Lights could be visible in the UK again on Sunday and Monday night. Forecaster Greg Dewhurst said the display "could be a little weaker tonight (Sunday), so most likely seen across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England."
He added: "They may be a little stronger again on Monday night so could be seen further south into central areas." The spectacle can sometimes be better seen through a camera than by the naked eye, with Mr Dewhurst noting that "long exposure camera shots may show something each night a little further south than the above visible by eye forecast."
Why the aurora appears
The phenomenon is most visible around the equinoxes in spring and autumn. It is triggered by solar activity, according to the Met Office. The sun emits charged particles known as solar wind, which are funnelled towards the magnetic poles when they interact with the Earth's magnetic field.
As the energetic particles collide with gases in the upper atmosphere, they release energy as light. Oxygen produces green and, at higher altitudes, red, while nitrogen creates blue and purple hues, the weather forecaster said.
