The United Kingdom was treated to a rare and spectacular display of the Northern Lights on Monday evening, as the Aurora Borealis illuminated night skies across the country with vivid shades of green and pink.
The Met Office confirmed that severe geomagnetic storms were observed, leading to widespread auroras visible across the UK, with reports extending as far south as northern Italy. The phenomenon was triggered by a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), a large expulsion of solar particles that interact with Earth's atmosphere.
While typically confined to regions near the Arctic Circle, heightened solar activity allowed the lights to be seen from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and parts of southern, eastern, and northern England. Stargazers captured breathtaking photographs of the dazzling display.
The characteristic colours of the aurora are produced when solar particles collide with gases in the atmosphere. Oxygen atoms produce a green hue, while nitrogen atoms give rise to purple, blue, and pink tones.
Although solar activity is expected to subside, the Met Office suggests that the Northern Lights may still be visible in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening.
