Northern Lights sparkle in Welsh skies once again

A powerful solar storm has once again provided spectacular views of the Northern Lights across Wales.

This particular aurora was triggered by a huge solar flare which erupted on Tuesday as the solar wind buffeted the Earth's magnetic field and resulted in sightings across much of Wales, from Anglesey to Swansea.

The Northern Lights are normally seen at high latitudes, but this storm was so strong the aurora was seen as far south as Switzerland and Italy.

There have been several major storms in the past few months as the activity on the sun is at the peak of its approximately 11-year cycle.

How rare are Northern Lights in the UK?

The short answer is they are rare. Prior to this year the last powerful solar storm to hit Earth was in 2003.

However, due to the increased activity of the sun there have been more Northern Lights sightings than normal, most recently in May.

Anywhere away from light pollution with a clear view of the night sky will give you the best chance of seeing them.

The sunspots and eruptions will gradually diminish next year.

What's the best time for the Northern Lights?

The Met Office said Thursday was likely to be the best day for Northern Lights sightings, however there are likely to be "ongoing effects" until Friday.

Geomagnetic activity is high throughout Thursday again and will continue into the night, according to the Met Office forecast, and the aurora tends to be seen best between 22:00 BST and 02:00 on Friday.