UK residents are left stunned as Northern Lights illuminate sky down to England’s south coast

DAILYMAIL.COM • 3h ago

By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER 01:46 11 Oct 2026, updated 01:53 11 Oct 2026

Thousands of Brits were left awestruck overnight after the Northern Lights turned the sky a hazy purple and green.

Striking photos show stars dotted across the horizon against the silhouettes of buildings and trees.

The natural phenomenon, known as the Aurora Borealis, is normally visible from near the Arctic Circle and northern Scotland.

However, strong solar activity levels on Friday and Saturday evenings meant it could be seen as far south as Devon, Hampshire and Kent.

Stargazers uploaded photos to social media taken from areas including their ‘own back garden’ and surrounding public roads.

Sightings in the areas could continue during clear skies up to Tuesday, the Met Office said.

Northern Lights are emitted due to powerful solar eruptions from the sun, called coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

The stream of particles can get captured by the Earth’s magnetic field and directed into the planet’s atmosphere, in particular towards polar regions.

Previously, experts said 2026 would be a peak year for aurora-spotting – with the Sun in a heightened state of activity as part of its 11-year natural cycle.

Anybody hoping to see the lights are advised to look northwards, away from bright streetlights and through a phone camera.

The lights usually appear between 10pm and 2am at night, and can be spotted from September to early April.

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