Northern Lights seen across Wales after rare storm

Northern LightsAthena Pictures

A spectator takes in the view of the Northern Lights at Brecon, Powys

A severe geomagnetic storm caused rare sightings of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, over Wales on Tuesday night.

A magnetic storm - rated as "severe" - was caused by two pulses of electro-magnetic energy which left the sun.

They are unusual in Wales with perhaps no more than one or two sightings every 11 years.

Green and purple curtains of light were seen in areas including Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caernarfon and the Brecon Beacons.

Northern LightsZak Smith

View over the Brecon Beacons

Northern LightsIwan Williams

The Northern Lights over Penmon on Anglesey

Northern LightsAlvin Michael

Crai Reservoir near Sennybridge

Northern LightsPaul Joinson

The view from Penmon Point on Anglesey

Northern LightsRob Price

Aurora Borealis over Machynlleth

Northern LightsRob Price

The sky over Machynlleth

Northern LightsKevin Kay

The view over Brecon from the A470 near Storey Arms

Northern LightsCarl Jones

A view of the Northern Lights from Pwllheli

Northern LightsMichael Bent

Aurora Borealis over Llandudno

Northern LightsRichard Demynn

The view from Dolau, Powys

Northern LightsSyed Zaidi

Penmon Lighthouse on Anglesey

The spectacle was most prominent between 23:00 GMT and 00:01am, and was also observed as far south as Somerset, and other parts of the Northern hemisphere from Alaska to Finland.

The storm was predicted by astronomers and geophysicists but was stronger than expected at a level four out of a maximum of five on the Internationally-agreed G-Scale.

The Northern Lights are normally expected at high latitudes around the arctic during periods of high solar activity.

The Northern Lights over Penmon on AngleseyLee Evans

The skyover Penmon on Anglesey