The Northern Lights put on a spectacular display as they lit up the skies above the North East with bright pink hues on Thursday (October 10).

Also known as aurora borealis, the bands of pink and green light were seen across the UK and in parts of Europe after an “extreme” geomagnetic storm caused them to be more visible, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Photos of the dazzling natural phenomenon, also known as aurora borealis, were captured across England, with those in the North East able to see the red glow with the naked eye. 

(Image: Jason Quinn/Northern Echo Camera Club)

The lights could be seen as far south as Kent and East Anglia, but were clear for avid aurora borealis spotters and backyard astronomists alike in Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, and beyond. 

The Met Office said relatively clear skies were forecast for much of the UK, creating a “decent chance of visibility”.

A spokesman for the forecaster said there had been “more space weather events in recent months”, including the Northern Lights because the sun was nearing the peak of its solar cycle.

(Image: Alan Swann)

The auroras on Earth, which are most commonly seen over high polar latitudes but can spread south, are chiefly influenced by geomagnetic storms which originate from activity on the Sun.

The sun works on a cycle of around 11 years called the solar cycle – with peak sunspot activity on the surface of the Sun referred to as solar maximum.

(Image: Shane Dew/Northern Echo Camera Club)

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Sunspots give the potential for Earth-directed releases of large bursts of energy, called coronal mass ejections, which can lead to aurora visibility.

Aurora displays occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles.

As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky.

(Image: Kevin Edworthy/NorthernEcho Camera Club.)