The glorious luminous green colours of the Aurora borealis were captured by keen photographers this evening.
Scott Holden who captured the above photo from Skelmorlie said: "At some points the columns were quite visible with the naked eye.
" I'd been watching out all evening since the solar flare and corona mass ejection were announced this afternoon as I check for solar activity hoping to see something like this.
"It was around 9pm the storm reached Kp4 to become visible and quickly went in to 5 & 6 by about quarter to ten, its probably still going to some extent but its freezing outside!".
Energised particles from the sun strike the Earth's upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million mph, but our planet's magnetic field defends us from the onslaught. As Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the North Pole, the dramatic process converts into an atmospheric phenomenon that is the Aurora Borealis which dazzles and excites scientists and skywatchers alike.
See another spectacular photo of the Aurora in Skelmorlie below by Graham Elrick.
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