Sometimes (not very often) the UK weather actually does us a favour as Brits across the country were able to witness the magnificent Northern Lights.
Otherwise known as aurora borealis, they lit up the sky in Britain last night (10 May) as thousands flocked to social media to share stunning photos of the rare sight.
The likes of Suffolk, Kent, Hampshire and Liverpool were just some of the cities which were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
Why are we able to see the Northern Lights in the UK?
The Northern Lights were visible from Britain because of the combination of clear skies and enhanced activity from the sun reaching Earth, according to the Met Office.
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Now that summer is almost upon us, we can hope for a lot more of these clearer nights.
What's the science behind the Northern Lights?
Visibility of the Northern Lights increased on Friday due to an 'extreme' geomagnetic storm.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states that the G5 geomagnetic storm - the strongest level of geomagnetic storm - hit earth on Thursday (9 May) and could affect communications, GPS and power grids.
The storm took place because of a 'large' sunspot cluster, which happens to be 17 times the diameter of earth.
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Different colours occur due to the different gases in the Earth's atmosphere, which are energised by the charged particles.
Nitrogen emits purple, blue and pink colours, while oxygen emits green.
When’s the best time to see the Northern Lights tonight?
The best time to spot the Northern Lights will be between 10.00pm and 2.00am in the UK.
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Unfortunately the window is pretty short due to the shorter nights with the warmer weather.
Where is the best place to see the Northern Lights tonight?
ITV News meteorologist and weather presenter Chris Page said: "Activity is expected to slowly decline, however there is a good chance (cloud permitting) you’ll be able to see it again tonight."
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Krista Hammond, the Met Office’s space weather manager, added: “Aurora visibility may persist through Saturday night, but as it stands this is likely to be less widespread than on Friday night with northern parts of the UK most likely to continue to have the best viewing potential.”
Sadly, it seems that those in the south of England who saw the aurora last night might not have a good enough view this evening.
Us northerners, however, are best placed if the weather doesn't let us down.
Featured Image Credit: LADbible
Anish Vij