The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, was visible in skies over East Lancashire at the weekend.

Photographers ventured out on Sunday night (March 3) to capture images of the phenomenon and some of the pictures are incredible.

Steve Bradley Photography took a picture of the lights from Pendle Hill and “experienced the best display [he’s] ever seen of the northern lights.”

Lee Roe also captured a fantastic image, which he took from Waddington.

Lancashire Telegraph: Northern lights over WaddingtonNorthern lights over Waddington (Image: Lee Roe)

“It was simply fantastic to see so many people flocking to Waddington Fell tonight to see the northern lights.

“They were not particularly visible to the naked eye, however, there were a few photographers there who got some great images.

“Here is the best image I took, using night mode on the iPhone. I am just glad I can say I have now actually seen the Aurora.”

Where is the best place to see the northern lights in Lancashire?

The northern lights appear as large areas of colour including pale green, pink, shades of red, yellow, blue and violet in the direction due north.

The further north you go the better chance you will have of seeing the lights.

In the past photographers have managed to spot the phenomenon in Rivington, Blackburn, Lancaster, Morecambe and beyond.

The northern lights occur as a consequence of solar activity and result from collisions of charged particles in the solar wind colliding with molecules in the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Tips on seeing the aurora

  • You need a clear night with no cloud cover
  • Find a dark location with no light pollution
  • Look toward the northern horizon
  • Be cautious that geomagnetic activity can cause disturbances to satellite navigation (GNSS/GPS etc)