Northern Lights illuminate sky across the West

The Northern Lights made a rare appearance across the UK on Friday night, dazzling skies over the West of England.

Stargazers shared photos of the spectacular sight, also known as aurora borealis.

They could be seen after one of the strongest geomagnetic storms for years hit Earth, with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issuing a rare solar storm warning.

BBC Weather said Friday evening's clear skies made sightings possible from almost everywhere in the UK.

There is also expected to be a chance to see the Northern Lights on Saturday night.

Totterdown, Bristol

What are the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights - or aurora borealis - appear as bright, swirling curtains of lights in the night sky and range in colour from green to pink and scarlet.

It is caused by charged particles from the sun hitting gases in the Earth's atmosphere.

The colours occur due to different gases in the Earth's atmosphere being energised by the charged particles.

The two most common gases in the Earth's atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen. Oxygen atoms glow green - the colour most often seen in the Northern Lights, while nitrogen atoms emit purple, blue and pink.

The most impressive auroras occur when the sun emits really large clouds of particles called "coronal mass ejections".

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

The Northen Lights illuminating the sky in Wiltshire

Chippenham, Wiltshire

Shirehampton, Bristol