Northern Lights 'a great show' for photographers

Paul Moss captured the Northern Lights on Friday

The Northern Lights have been delighting spectators across parts of the north east of England.

The spectacular natural phenomenon, often seen in winter when the nights are cold, long and dark, were captured on camera on Friday.

Avid photographer Paul Moss went to the Northumberland coast after he saw that conditions "were looking hopeful".

"It was a much stronger display than I had expected so was very pleased with the photos," he told the BBC.

"I have been to Iceland and seen them a number of times so knew what I was looking for and how to capture them."

The Aurora Borealis were captured in parts of Northumberland

The Aurora Borealis appears when atoms in the Earth's high-altitude atmosphere collide with energetic charged particles from the sun, creating light.

Photographers on the Norfolk coast also enjoyed one of nature's greatest displays.

Photographer Owen Humphreys took this image at Howick, Northumberland

Press Association photographer Owen Humphreys shared images from Howick, Northumberland, and described it as "a great show".

"As soon as it was dark we had the Northern Lights showing, then two big bursts of activity, green in the sky for several hours," he said.

The lights were seen for several hours

Photographer Steven Lomas spotted the phenomenon at Kielder, Northumberland.

He said: "It was great to see the aurora again, even more special as I took my nephew and his girlfriend up to view the milky way as a treat as he has just got the all clear from cancer, so it was more special for the Northern Lights to come out too."

The Northern Lights at Kielder, Northumberland

Astronomer Andrew Morl at Grassholme Observatory in Teesdale also captured the lights on camera, but was unable to see them with the naked eye.

"We knew there was going to be Aurora so we set up cameras facing north and set them away, taking 10 second exposure photographs all night," he said.

A view from a camera at the Grassholme Observatory, Teesdale

"Unfortunately we couldn't see the Aurora with the naked eye but as you see in the photographs, cameras pick it up beautifully.

"Once you have all of the photographs you can stitch them together and get the timelapse which shows the curtains or fingers moving across the sky."