IT IS a rare sight to see the Northern Lights in the UK, but last night (October 10) Brits were able to see them from areas across the UK.

The scientific name for the Northern Lights is the Aurora Borealis and this bright performance takes place when charged particles from the sun hit gases in the Earth's atmosphere during geomagnetic activity.

Yesterday proved to be a great night to look North as skies were illuminated across Cornwall. The lights splashed vivid red, pink and green colours, which resulted in stunning images being captured.

Meteorologists advise a long exposure camera is used to capture the auroras, as the phenomenon is not always visible with the naked eye.