Shropshire Star

Spectacular photos capture Northern Lights glow seen in Shropshire again

Stargazing Shropshire residents were given a real treat when they saw the Northern Lights for the second time in a matter of weeks.

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Christopher Burrage took these pictures at Whixall

A massive disturbance on the surface of the sun sent a stream of particles which hit the Earth's magnetic field in dramatic fashion on Thursday night. It follows similar spectacles in late February.

Luckily the clouds parted for Shropshire Star readers Rob Davies and Christopher Burrage who saw the resulting light show.

Rob, a hydrometry and telemetry officer working for the Environment Agency, had two bites of the Aurora Borealis from his vantage point in Cressage. Once at 9pm and again as he set his alarm for 2am, with the second burst provoking a smiley face on social media.

Picture by Rob Davies at Cressage

In Whixall, Christopher Burrage took shots of the light show over north Shropshire at around midnight.

Christopher said it had been a "long five-year wait since we saw them here last."

Sky-watchers for the US Government reported that the storm reached a severe level and said it could have an effect on power supplies and on GPS systems.

Forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggest that the storm could continue for the next few nights.

The UK Met Office is forecasting the chance of another moderate geomagnetic storm tonight.